The Bakery
by BytesTheDust
Summary: AU: Olivia owns a popular bakery, and when Fitz becomes a customer, her life changes in ways that she never imagined.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So I'm back way sooner than I thought I would be because, holy smokes, I finished TWO papers 3 days early! This has never happened in the my entire college career. This is my first AU, and, of course, I don't own Scandal or the characters. I'm driving the struggle bus when it comes to title names...so bear with me on that. **

* * *

1:30 p.m. always brought in a stream of business to_ Carolyn's Bakery and Dessert Cafe_. From students to politicians, _Carolyn's_ served a diverse set of patrons in D.C. After two successful years in business, one would think Olivia would be use to the busyness of her bakery. This was simply not the case. Every month seemed to bring in more business than the last. She was outgrowing her business plan at a fast pace. With the advice she'd taken from her husband, a thriving venture capitalist, her revenue consistently surpassed her cost of operations. What started as a hobby in her apartment turned into a profitable business endeavor. Nothing could have prepared her for the success, not even the five years she'd worked as an in-demand literary agent.

Looking at her wall clock in the front of her bakery, she was glad to see the lunch rush end. Relieved, she went to the back of her shop into her office space. Quinn, her administrative assistant and cashier, was there preparing to leave.

"Liv, I'm going to the bank to make the deposit. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"No, but thanks anyway. I think I have a consultation in a few. Did Abby and Harrison call about the delivery?"

"Yeah, we just spoke. They're on their way back. They should be here in the next hour and half. The family loved the cake."

"Great!"

Abby worked as Olivia's assistant baker and Harrison, Olivia's good friend, helped out part-time wherever he was needed. Abby had finished a large cake that a client wanted delivered, and Harrison graciously volunteered to help Abby get the cake to the customer. They were a tight knit staff, and because of all of their hard work, the prospect of opening a second shop within the next 12 months was looking very likely.

Knowing that her new clients would be arriving shortly, she checked her personal appointment book to gather the details. She was scheduled to meet Mellie and Karen Grant to discuss cake designs for a Sweet 16 birthday party. Parent and daughter, Olivia assumed.

"_What kind of name is Mellie,"_ she thought to herself. From the pre-consultation sheet, it seemed as though they had decided on a flavor and just needed to get a quote and work on the cake design. _"Good. At least these people know what they want,"_ she commented to herself. Consultations were always smoother when the customer had some idea of the cake they wanted. She removed her apron and changed from the shop's screen printed t-shirt to their oxford shirt with an embroidered logo, wanting to seem more professional. After hearing the bell indicating that a customer entered, she assumed her consultation had arrived.

Briskly moving to her presumed appointment, she was met by a strikingly handsome man browsing her cupcake display_. "Please don't let this customer hold me up,"_ she thought to herself, hating to run late for her appointments. "Hi. How can I help you?" she greeted him cheerfully.

"Hi, I'm here for a 2:15 consultation."

"Oh! Are you Mellie Grant?" she asked a little confused. She assumed Mellie was a woman.

Chuckling, he responded, "No. Actually I'm here on her behalf. She's stuck at work." As soon as he finished, a teenage girl entered Olivia's establishment. "Sorry, dad," she said, apologizing for her slightly late appearance. "I just really love that song. Don't you hate when a song you love comes on the radio as soon as you're about to leave the car?" She asked energetically.

From her youth and energy, Olivia assumed this was Karen. "You must be Karen. Nice to meet you."

"Hi! I'm so excited! My BFF just had her Sweet 16 last month, and she got her cake from here and OMG! It was incredible, and I knew we had to come here for mine. She had whipped frosting, and it was amazing. Oh! And she had cupcakes too, and they were like strawberry and chocolate and so AMAZING. I. AM. SOOO. EXCITED!" she said, speaking a mile a minute.

Shaking his head at his daughter's eagerness, "Yes, this is Karen. It seems like someone may have needed to be sedated before coming here," he joked, surprised at her enthusiasm. "And, I'm Fitzgerald, her father."

Olivia reached out to shake Karen's hand, "I'm Olivia, and I'll be helping you today."

She turned to shake her father's hand, "It's nice to meet you Fitzgerald."

Feeling immediately at ease in her presence, he clarified, "You can call me Fitz."

"Fitz, Karen, follow me," she directed with a smile.

She sat them down in her consultation room which had a similar décor as the café's seating area. It was the perfect balance of bright and sophisticated. It was partly what attracted such unique clientele. It was family friendly, but also a destination spot for dates after dinner and a movie.

"I LOVE it in here. It smells sooo good. How are you not like 1,000 pounds? I would be huge if I worked here," Karen commented.

"Karen!" Fitz scolded, surprised by her presumptuousness with a woman's weight.

Olivia laughed but got started with business. Reading her pre-consultation notes, she said "Okay. Let's get started. So Karen, it says here that you were thinking about white cake with butter cream icing. Is that what you're still set on?"

"Yes! Mom says it's too plain, but I think it will be something everyone will like."

"This is true. It is very popular for that reason, but we can make any cake you want. If you prefer chocolate on one layer we can do that too. I can also…"

"I'm sorry, Olivia. Can I use your restroom?" Karen asked, cutting her off,

"Of course. It's down the hall and to your left."

As Karen swiftly left the room, Olivia looked to Fitz. It has the first real glance she'd gotten of him. Karen's energy was quite distracting. The man before her was just gorgeous. She was struck by his beautiful gray-blue eyes and chiseled face. He had strong broad shoulders and perfect hair. _"Damn," _Olivia thought to herself. She was married and content, but she could still look.

"I don't know what's gotten into my kid today. I normally can't get her to say 2 words to me and now she's a Chatty Cathy," Fitz spoke.

Olivia laughed softly, "Well, Sweet 16s will bring it out of them."

It was the second time she laughed, Fitz noticed, and something about it drew him in. The sound of her voice drew him in. When she'd first greeted him, he was lured by her cheerful tone. But when he saw her up close, it was her face that caught him. Her large eyes were a captivating deep brown. Her lips, faintly stained pink, were full, luscious even. She was a gorgeous woman. And Karen was right. She was definitely not a 1000 pounds. She was maybe a 1/10 of that. Even in khakis and her company's loose, oxford top, her body was one to envy. She did not look like a baker. _"I wonder how someone so pretty works at a bakery,"_ he thought to himself.

They stared at each other for a moment, taking in each other's appearance and demeanor. The silence started to feel a little uncomfortable.

"So how long has this place been here?" he asked.

"We started almost two years ago."

"So it's fairly new. You seem really popular to be so new."

"Yeah, well, we've been really lucky to have received some great press. Our location helps." She said, trying to be modest.

"Well, your cakes are great. Karen's right. Her friend's birthday cake was the talk of the night."

"Oh thanks. What friend was it if you don't mind my asking?" she questioned. Having done so many birthday cakes in the last month, it was hard to keep track of all her designs.

"Riley Anderson," he answered.

Olivia couldn't help but to roll her eyes, now remembering exactly which cake that was. That family was a nightmare. It was miracle that she was able to turn out a cake to their satisfaction.

Fitz caught her gesture. "What? Did you not like it?"

"No, it was fine. It was massive. I worked on it for hours. Well into the morning of the event."

"That cake _was_ huge. You worked on it by yourself?"

"Mostly. There were so many changes. It required all of my attention. My staff normally helps."

" '_My staff'. She must own the place,_" he thought to himself. She looked really young to be a business owner. Curious if she owned or managed the bakery he leadingly commented, "The boss must love your dedication."

She smiled. "I am the boss, but I guess you could say so I appreciate my work," she said with a laugh, trying to minimize any arrogance of the statement.

Something about the way she said "I am the boss" made Fitz stir in his seat. Her smile was beautiful; she seemed so confident. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

Karen returned, breaking the tension of their attraction. "Sorry. Okay, I'm ready. Where were we?"

"Discussing flavors. We have samples for you to try, and then we need to work on the design."

"Oh! We get to try cake?" Karen asked eagerly.

"Of course, I'll be right back with samples."

Olivia moved to her kitchen to grab two trays of pre-prepared cake slices. She went back to the consultation room with her hands full.

Fitz was surprised at all of the desserts she'd brought in for them to try.

"What are we in for?" he joked.

Olivia detailed all of the desserts on the tray. Pointing to red velvet, she noted, "This one is probably one of the most popular. It's red velvet with cream cheese icing."

"Red velvet is dad's favorite," Karen commented.

"Well, you're in luck. It will be one of the best things you've ever put in your mouth," Olivia stated confidentially. Realizing how suggestive that could have been taken, she blushed and tried to excuse herself from the room.

"I'll let you two try these decide on the cake and icing flavors, and I'll be back in a moment." She stated.

Olivia needed to gather herself. "_'The best thing you've ever put in your mouth,'_" she questioned to herself, embarrassed by her comment. This man was making her uncharacteristically flustered. The way he was looking at her was making her flushed. She was getting distracted. He was so attractive. She had encountered numerous attractive men in her place of business, but never one that stirred something inside of her. She hadn't experienced this weird tingling sensation since some of her first dates with her now husband. It was a little unsettling to experience it with another man. Blowing it off, she went back to the room.

"So have you decided? Are you still thinking white cake?"

"This red velvet cake is delicious. I think I want this one."

"Great choice!"

They talked for the next 30 minutes working out the design. Wrapping things up, Olivia asked, "When my staff spoke to your wife, she mentioned that she also wanted cupcakes. Would you like those in red velvet too?"

"Ex-wife," he quickly corrected. Looking at Karen, he continued, "Kar, what do you think? Red velvet cupcakes?

"That sounds good." Karen agreed

"Okay we will have this ready for pick up next week. Is there anything else I can help you with?" Olivia asked politely.

"No. I think you've handled everything."

"It was pleasure meeting you both," Olivia stated, reaching out to shake their hands as they departed.

Fitz and Karen left, but when they settled into his car, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Olivia was so adorable, blushing after her "best thing you'd ever put in your mouth" remark. Something about her was incredibly intriguing, beyond her beauty. Maybe it was because she seemed like a savvy business owner. He'd always been attracted to smart, take-charge women. He knew he had to see her again. He'd have to make sure that it was him instead of Mellie picking the birthday cake up, if only just to get a glance of her again.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! This chapter might be leaning towards M for language.**

* * *

When Olivia arrived home from work, it was close to 6:30. She grabbed subs from the deli next to her shop and was incredibly relieved to be able to relax after a long day. She walked straight into her kitchen, where she was met by her husband's presence, and placed their dinner on the counter.

"Hi, Mr. Davis" she greeted her husband who was seated at their island.

"Hey, you" responded.

Olivia made her way to him and pecked his lips. "How was work?"

"Okay. That deal fell through, but we have a new prospect for an investor."

"Oh, Edison, I'm sorry to hear that," she said, rubbing his back.

"It's fine," he said, brushing it off. "How was your day?"

"Good. Pretty busy. I had the most energetic 16-year-old come in for a birthday cake. It was kind of fun. I brought home dinner from the deli," she stated, rummaging through the food bag.

"These 16-year-olds are going to keep you business," he joked.

"I know. She was basically a referral from a customer we had last month."

"That reminds me. I have a coworker who mentioned needing a cake for their grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary."

"Okay, just have them give me a call when they're ready. What's their name?"

Edison didn't respond.

She asked again, thinking he didn't hear her

"What's their name? I want to make sure whoever helps them gives them a discounted quote since you know them."

He mumbled a name.

"Honey, who?"

"Stacey."

Olivia shot him a look of utter disgust

"Are you completely out of your mind?" she asked as her heart raced.

"Liv…"

"Don't you **dare **say her name in my house again. If you think I would make that whore **_anything_ **but a flight plan to hell, you are seriously insane.

"Liv, I didn't mean…"

"Stop talking, Edison. Nothing you could say could possibly undo what you just requested," she said with a trembling voice.

She hastily grabbed her keys, needing to get a away from him before she said or did things she would regret later.

"Please wait," he begged, moving in front of her to stop her.

"**MOVE**!" she ordered with watery eyes.

He did as told and let her leave.

* * *

Olivia could not wrap her head around Edison. As she sat in her car in front of her bakery, she was utterly confused and felt a level of disappointment that she hadn't experienced in years. Generally, Edison and Olivia had an agreeable relationship. They had been married for almost seven years. They met during her senior year of college through mutual friends and married a year later. He was Olivia's first real relationship. Edison was typically a mild mannered guy, incredibly respectful, and very caring. The first five years of their relationship were near perfect. They rarely fought. They had sex regularly. They were _the_ couple. Everyone envied them. Both were so successful, attractive, and happy. They were honestly partners in every sense of the word. The last two years, however, had been far more challenging.

It had actually been almost two years since Olivia found out that Edison was having an affair. She found out shortly after her bakery opened. Edison had been sleeping with Stacey Erickson, a coworker, for six months. Wanting "a fresh start" in the next phase of their lives, he confessed to sleeping with another woman. Olivia was crushed. It devastated her in ways that she didn't know were humanly possible. She had never experienced something so painful. Never had she felt so betrayed that it physically hurt.

When she found out, she had to make a decision: keep her marriage or throw it away. Edison begged, pleaded for her. He was willing to do whatever it took to make it work. He promised her that it was just a mistake, and that the other woman was just _there_. He claimed that it was him and his issues, not Olivia. She was so torn. She took her vows seriously. Despite his actions, she still loved him. Those feelings didn't just disappear. It wasn't easy, but she stuck with their marriage.

The six months following his confession were some of the worst months of her life. She cried almost every single night. She'd go from hurt and sadness to rage back to sadness and rage again, sometimes within the same moment. There were nights when she'd keep him up wanting details of their affair. Other nights, she couldn't even look at him. It took a toll on her, and she knew something had to give. She remembered the moment that she decided that she wasn't going to be hostile to him anymore. For her own sense of sanity, she was going to forgive him and try to forget.

* * *

_(Flashback)_

_After a shower, Olivia entered her bedroom in a plush towel. To Olivia's surprise, Edison was resting on their bed in pajama pants. It had been 6 months since they touched or even slept in the same room. She wouldn't let him near her. When they were close to each other, Olivia felt her stomach drop. _

"_What are you doing in here?" she asked, pulling her towel closer to her body. _

"_Liv, I can't take it anymore."_

"_What are you doing in here?" she asked again._

"_When are you going to let me in? It's been months since you let me even touch you," he said moving to reach her._

_She jumped back. "Don't." _

"_I know I hurt you. I don't know how many times I have to tell you I'm sorry. I love you. I just want to be near you. I'm still your husband,"_

"_I know who you are to me, Edison." She replied sharply. " But were you my husband when your dick was planted in that bitch for six months?"_

"_Liv, how often are we going to have this conversation?"_

"_Every day that I want to. I will talk about this until I'm blue in the face. You fucked me over. Not the other way around," she said with her voice cracking. _

_She continued. "Don't you think I want to move past this? I want to be able to be done with you or to just love you. And right now I can't," she stated with tears streaming down her face. _

"_I don't know what you want me to do. We can go to counseling. We can move if you want. I will do anything."_

_They had already discussed all of their options to make it better, to make her happy again. She didn't want to talk to a therapist. She didn't want anyone in her business. It was embarrassing. She was with a man that cheated on her, a man that made her feel so empty. It was not something she could talk to anyone about. She hadn't told anyone about his affair, not wanting to deal with people's judgment. Despite Edison's action, she didn't want her family to hate him or think less of him. He was, in fact, still her husband. She didn't want her friends to judge her for staying with him. What they were experiencing was between the two of them only. _

"_Do you want to divorce me?" he asked meekly._

_Her stomach dropped. In spite of all of this, they never used the word divorce. It was always "Do you need space? Are you going to leave me? Do you want to move on?" but never "divorce."_

_She pondered his question for a moment and couldn't bear the thought of it. For a long time, he was all she had. She didn't want to divorce him; she just didn't want to feel this awful anymore._

_She moved to him and shook her head no. He reached out to her to wrap his arms around her. It was the first time she let him touch her since the days following the news of his affair. He hugged her tightly and her towel started to slip revealing her breasts._

"_I love you so much, Liv. Let me fix this. I was stupid. I need you," he pleaded. She heard this before, but tonight she could finally take it in._

_He removed her towel from her body leaving her completely naked. He moved them to their bed. Laying her on her back, he rested on top of her. He stared into her eyes which were red from tears. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on." She turned her head, not able to take his compliment. She wanted to believe that he found her beautiful, but how beautiful could she possibly be if he could find solace in another woman. "Edison, please," she responded, needing him to stop placating her._

"_You are so beautiful," he repeated, but this time he took her face in his hands and kissed her on the lips. To his surprise, she didn't retreat. She kissed him back slowly. Regardless of everything, she missed him. She missed this. They spent the rest of the night reacquainting with each other. _

_He drifted off to sleep, and she listened to his light snoring, thinking about their life together the past few months. She decided that night that if they were going to stay together she would have to forgive him. She couldn't be with him and hate him at the same time. She couldn't let thoughts of his affair dictate her life anymore. Her business just started, and she couldn't handle the stress of her work and her husband at the same time. His affair would be out of sight, out of mind. _

* * *

She could not believe that he would mention his mistress let alone ask her to bake for her. Was he that much of an idiot? Was he cheating again? She couldn't bear the thought of it. When she decided to forgive and forget, she meant it. They never talked about his affair. She didn't think about it because it was the only way she could stay happy and sane. One thing was for certain, she really didn't have time to deal with any this right now. Not with everything happening with her job. Tomorrow alone she was checking out potential spaces for a new location, interviewing potential employees for her current shop, and meeting with a local advertising firm to increase her visibility. She couldn't go home though. She entered her bakery, picked up Karen Grant's cake request and finished sketching a design.

xxxx

When Olivia finally returned to her home, it was well after midnight. She not only sketched a cake design, she also tried a new carrot cake recipe and baked a batch of brownies for the next day. At least something productive came out of her argument with Edison. She expected him to be asleep, but to her disappointment he was waiting for her downstairs in their living room.

She spoke first. "I take it you're sleeping down here."

"No. I was waiting for you. I was worried about you."

"Worried? Really? Where do you think I was?" she questioned sarcastically.

Sighing, he answered,"I figured you were at the shop, and based on the flour in your hair. I'm assuming I'm right."

She ignored his last statement. "Well if you're not sleeping down here then I'm guessing you're sleeping in the guest room."

"No. I'm sleeping in my room with my wife."

She looked at him confused, "You are not sleeping ANYWHERE near me, and I mean it."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It's been so long since everything happened. We've moved on, and I honestly, didn't think it was a big deal."

She looked at him blankly, unimpressed with his apology. "Are you sleeping with her?"

"What? Liv, no. God no."

"I don't understand why you're even talking to her."

"We work together. I have to see her every day."

"_Seeing_ her every day is very different than _talking_ to her."

She continued. "You shouldn't even be blinking in her direction let alone conversing with that bitch."

"Well that's next to impossible."

"Is it? It's _sooo_ hard not to talk to her. She's just _that_ captivating?"

"You know that's not what I mean. I have to talk to her about work."

"So her grandparents are a work related conversation? Tell me, do they come up in between seed funding or carried interest? Riddle me this."

"Actually, it was over retirement pension funds," he stated as a matter-of-fact, matching her sarcasm.

"Fuck you, Edison," she stated annoyed at his condescension. Completely done with their conversation, she left the room and made her way to their bedroom. She slammed the door shut, daring him to enter.

* * *

The next morning she got up and showered. She could tell by the state of the bathroom that Edison had already showered and probably left. She quickly dressed, and because she had a day full of meetings, her attire consisted of more than khakis and a t-shirt. Instead, she donned gray slacks and a pale blue silk blouse. She slipped on a new pair of Prada heels. She wore her hair down instead of pulled up. She moved to her bedside table to put on her watch and wedding ring, which she rarely wore because of work. She noticed a hand written note from Edison on the table. "**I'm so sorry about last night. I was stupid, and I love you. See you tonight,"**

She didn't have the energy to let this argument last any longer than it had to. She would call him when she got to the bakery. For now, however, she was on her way to FG Advertising.

xxxxx

Sitting in the advertising firm's waiting room made her slightly miss the corporate culture of being a literary agent. Although she enjoyed representing authors and being a part of the literary community, she loved owning her own business, but more than that, she simply loved making sweet creations. It helped relieve a lot of stress, and she loved the joy she could bring to people with something as simple as a slice of cake. Though she and her team had done a great job of creating exposure for the bakery, she wanted take it step further, especially since she was looking to expand.

"Olivia?" she heard from behind her.

"Hi. I'm Lauren."

"Hi, Lauren. It's good to meet you."

"Likewise, follow me to my office."

Moving down the long corridor, she was impressed by the décor. It had a modern, sleek feel, but was inviting. Ad campaigns hung on their walls. The office spaces used glass wall partitions, creating high visibility between offices. Finally getting to the office, Lauren motioned for Olivia to sit while she took a seat behind her desk. Olivia and Lauren spent the next hour working out media plans. They decided on an upcoming holiday promotion, three upcoming media buys and an upgraded logo.

"You mentioned being concerned with the typography of the mockups we sent you," Lauren commented. "What do you think about something like that? Can you see that from here?" Lauren asked, pointing to an image hanging on the other side of the glass partition in the hallway.

Olivia turned her heard to look and was surprised to see Fitz, her consultation from yesterday, standing in the hallway. Lauren noticing Olivia's look of shock noted, "Oh is Mr. Grant in your way? We can ask him to move," she joked. "Have you met him before?"

"Uh, yeah I have actually." she said, a bit taken aback by the coincidence of it all. "Does he work here?" she asked.

"He's owns it actually. He's really great. Not intimidating like you might expect."

Fitz noticed Lauren and Olivia staring from the hallway. He was immediately surprised to see her, but more than pleased nonetheless. She was absolutely breathtaking, maybe even more so than yesterday. She was far less casual than yesterday. He had to greet her.

He stepped into Lauren's office and acknowledged her presence immediately. "Olivia, is the cake already done," he joked.

She laughed, stating, "I'm good, but I'm not that good."

"And Lauren, how are you this morning?"

"Great, Mr. Grant. And yourself?"

"Good, thanks."

"Olivia, I didn't know you were one of our clients."

"I'm new actually. This is my first in-person meeting."

"Has Lauren given you the tour of the place?"

She looked at Lauren and turned back to Fitz, "No. Not yet."

"Well, let me show you around."

She got up from the chair, shared goodbyes with Lauren and followed Fitz.

Olivia was so nervous for some reason. She didn't know if it was the fact that she was obviously attracted to him, the guilt from being attracted to him, the unexpectedness of seeing him right now or the combination of the three.

She commented on the odd occurrence of being each other's clients. "It's a little weird being at your place of business so soon after meeting you in mine."

"It is a bit odd. Small world, and DC's even smaller."

He was right about that. D.C. may seem populous, but it was relatively small.

He took in her appearance again from head to toe. He couldn't help but notice the huge ring on her finger, and his heart dropped. "_Was she wearing that yesterday?_" he questioned to himself. "_I would have noticed it, if she were_." Of course she was married; it was just his luck. There was always some hang up with any woman that he was remotely attracted to or liked in the slightest. It was fitting that Olivia, a woman that he felt the largest attraction to since he realized that he liked girls in elementary school, had the biggest hang up of them all. It was displayed largely on her finger. Disappointed in her marital status, he figured he'd give her a quick tour and let her leave.

Twenty-minutes into it, they were wrapping it up. He showed her their conference rooms, the digital spaces, and employee lounge areas. He created a space that both fostered creative thinking and made employees want to work and play hard. Olivia was more than impressed with his leadership style. As the time came to escort her out, he just couldn't let her leave. Procrastinating, he asked, "So do you like what Lauren thought of in your advertising plan. Do you like the design."

"Yes. I love everything. She seems really smart. I'm a little concerned with typography, but I'm sure we'll figure it out."

Wanting to make sure his client was happy and not wanting her to leave, he offered, "Why don't you come to my office and we can take a look at typographic options."

Olivia looked at her watch, she'd been here for about an hour and a half, but she had another hour and a half before she needed to interview candidates for the bakery, so she agreed. "Sure."

She followed him to her office and he showed her fonts, sizes, spacing and colors. She loved how knowledgeable he was and how helpful he was being. Fitz was so intrigued by her and was impressed by all that she knew about advertising. She mentioned during their tour that she worked as a literary agent, wanting to get to know her better, he inquired further, "So you were a literary agent. How did you get into that?"

"Luck really. During undergrad at Georgetown I interned at a local publishing hours. Then I was hired as an assistant to an agent once I graduated. I really loved the field, but DC isn't the best place for agents. Because my husband's job is based out of D.C. and New York, we opted to move to New York. His family is well connected, so I was able to get a job pretty quickly as an agent at a publishing house in New York."

"Nepotism," he joked.

She laughed, "And hard work," she added.

Trying to figure out her age, he questioned, "How long did you work in publishing?"

"About 5 years," she responded.

"And what brought you back to D.C.?"

"This business. I always knew it was something I wanted to do, so I just took the leap, and started working on it during my last year as an agent. My husband also got a promotion here, so the timing was right," she explained.

He did the math in his head. Based on what she told him yesterday about the bakery, she was probably 30 or 31 he assumed.

"What about you? How did you become D.C.'s advertising guru?" she asked.

He smiled and answered, "Nepotism." She smirked at his joke, and he continued, "Actually, my family is a political family, and I was groomed to follow their lead, but I honestly loved the background stuff way more than politics. I made a political commercial that was really popular during one of my dad's campaigns. After that, more politicians hired me. We started as a boutique political advertising firm, and quickly expanded to a full-service agency."

"Wow. Well, it's great when you find what you love. What do they say? 'Choose a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life,' she said with a smile. He shook his head in agreement.

"And baking. What an awesome thing to love. Karen is so thrilled about her cake."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. She seemed very excited. It was infectious. Yeah, baking has changed my life in really unexpected ways."

"Have you always loved cooking?"

"Cooking? No. I have learned to love it, but baking has always been fun. A stress reliever."

It was his turn to share a cliché. "Yeah. Well you know 'stressed is dessert spelled backwards'," he said with a smile. She laughed at his corniness; it was cute.

"Well, it certainly helped during stressful times." She felt so comfortable around him, like she could share anything with him, like she'd known him forever. "I baked during college to put off doing school work. I'd be anxious over a paper and make a dozen cupcakes and somehow feel a lot better about writing. I had a hard time conceiving, so I baked a lot during that time. It helped take my mind off of everything."

_Damn. She had kids too_, he thought. Out of curiosity, he asked, "How old are your kids?"

She averted her eyes "I don't have any yet. We're still trying. Well, we're not trying now, but… We will try…again… in the future." She was so flustered. She couldn't believe that she was sharing this with him. He didn't ask about her fertility issues. He didn't need to know all of that.

He couldn't ignore the look of sadness on her face when talking about conceiving. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and just hug her. Instead, he empathized with her, "My ex-wife and I had a hard time conceiving our youngest son. I know firsthand that it will come exactly when it's supposed to."

She smiled, "So, I've learned. Enough about me. I should…"

He cut her off. "I love hearing about you," he said looking at her intently. He was probably moving past the point of flirting, but he was being honest, he was inexplicably drawn to her, and if given the opportunity, he would love to get to know her better in any capacity. But she was married, and this was his only opportunity. He figured he'd milk it.

She looked down and then met his stare, "Well, I wish we had more time, but I should get going," she said politely. She had to get out of there. Her heart was racing and she was feeling things that were beyond inappropriate for a married woman. He seemed so genuine and kind. She wondered how old he was. Maybe late 40s early 50s. They way he looked at her and listened to her made her feel strangely empowered, like she was interesting, captivating, not a boring baker.

She got up to excuse herself. He stood to walk her out. As they reached the elevator, both were unsure of the best way to depart. As she reached out her hand, he pulled her in for a hug. She felt intense butterflies in her stomach. She also felt her heart pound rapidly then settle into a normal pattern, like hugging him was a normal occurrence. She took in his scent. He smelled so good. He held her tightly and she reciprocated, despite the fact that she wasn't much of a hugger. They had only embraced for a few seconds but it felt like minutes.

She moved away from him, feeling oddly overwhelmed. "So, I'll see you next week," he stated.

She looked confused for a moment, but quickly remembered Karen's cake. "Uh, yeah, next week. I'll see you then," she stated before swiftly leaving his office.

* * *

**AN2: So this chapter was largely about Olivia's marriage to Edison, but please know that this is not some bait and switch. This story is about Olivia and Fitz, but I wanted to give some insight into Olivia's past with Edison because it will likely influence her decisions in future chapters. Also, I wanted to show how complicated your feelings can be when you're cheated on. Hopefully, that came across. Is Edison cheating or just really insensitive? What will Fitz and Olivia's next encounter be like. We will see. Also, as I am writing, I am realizing that it is hard to keep this story T, so look out for a possible M change. Thanks so much for reading! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

It was the day of Karen's 16th birthday, which was adding to the chaos of Fitz's week. In the last few days, he purchased her a new car, spoke at an advertising conference and tried to help Mellie with any last minute party details. He was now entering Olivia's bakery to pick up Karen's birthday cake. He felt so ridiculous because he spent so much of his chaotic week thinking about Olivia. Olivia was in the back making sure Karen's cake was securely boxed when she heard the entrance bell. She moved to greet her customer. She smiled upon seeing Fitz.

"Hi! I was just finishing up Karen's cake. I'll bring it out so you can see it," she stated with a smile. Her smile was doing a number on him. He couldn't understand how that was possible. She simply flashed a smile at him, and his heart beat irregularly.

She didn't even give him time to greet her back before she went to the kitchen to grab the birthday cake. It was a good thing because, in that moment, if she hadn't gone to retrieve it, he wasn't sure if he would be able to stop of himself from grabbing her in his arms and pressing his lips against hers. Instead, he took the time to compose himself.

She came back and wheeled out Karen's grand 16th birthday cake. It was set to feed 80 to 100 people.

Fitz was stunned to see how well it turned out. "Wow! That looks amazing. She's going to love it."

"Thanks," she said proudly. "Oh! Let me grab the extra cupcakes you guys wanted." She said moving to back to the kitchen.

"I can help you wheel this out to your car," Olivia offered.

"Okay. Before we do that though, I was actually hoping to place an order for my staff. They surpassed our monthly media billings, and I want to show my appreciation."

"Sure. Were you thinking of something like Karen's cake or would you like something on a smaller scale."

"Definitely a smaller scale," he said admiring Karen's cake. "I was thinking maybe cupcakes."

"We can definitely do that. Since it's a small order. I can take it now." She moved behind the counter to grab an order slip.

"How many were you thinking?"

"We have a staff of 50."

"So, maybe 75?" she suggested.

"That works."

"What flavor?"

"Could we do an assortment? Surprise me." The tone of his voice was making Olivia melt. He could say the most benign thing, and it was filled with so much charm.

She smiled. "We can definitely do that. When do you want them?" she asked.

"I was thinking maybe midweek."

"Okay would next Wednesday work?"

"That would be perfect."

"Would you like to pick them or have them delivered?"

"Well, I'll probably be in meetings most the day. Would it be a problem to have them delivered?"

"Not at all. Abby should be free to drop them off" she stated. "What time?" she questioned.

"Maybe after lunch. Maybe 2 or 3?" he responded.

"Okay. Let's plan for 2:30"

"Perfect." He agreed.

And with that, she helped him wheel Karen's cake to his car. He wanted to hug her again as they departed, but in all honestly, he thought that he had probably crossed the line the last time. He was a pretty affectionate guy, but hugging her may have been off-putting. Also, he was certain that he didn't have enough self-control to only hug her.

* * *

Now that Fitz had picked up the cake, Olivia was free for the afternoon. Edison was flying to New York the next day, and she wanted to spend some quality time with him before he left. Admittedly, she was still a little annoyed about the Stacey situation, but she had gotten over it for the most part. She chalked it up to him just being thoughtless.

When she entered their home, Edison was working on his iPad, watching the news in their living room. She sat down beside him on the couch. "Hi, honey," she greeted him sweetly.

He barely looked up from his device. "Hey, Liv. Did the cake turn out okay?"

"It did. The dad seemed to like it. I'm not sure about the kid yet. But I'm sure she will. It looks amazing. Do you want to see it?" she asked excitedly, moving to grab her phone.

"Uh sure." He said disinterestedly still not looking at her.

She went to the photos on her phone and showed him the pictures of the cake. He was still incredibly uninterested. "Looks good babe," he said after giving it a quick glance.

Olivia was pretty used to this. Edison was only interested in her business when it came to the finance aspects. He was always thrilled to hear about financial gains. He loved hearing about the business side of it, but didn't care about the creative. Olivia found it frustrating because there would be no business without the creative component.

Not wanting his typical boredom with her job to ruin their time together, she moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I missed you this week. I feel like I didn't see you at all."

"I know, babe. You know how it is when we have to prepare for New York work days."

She shook her head in agreement on his shoulder. "Well I'm going to miss you while you're gone," she stated. She realized that she was being unusually vulnerable towards him. The affair really changed her ability to be open to him.

"I'm going to miss you too."

"How much?" she asked, moving to straddle him.

"I'm working babe."

She ignored him and moved to kiss his neck, sucking on it gently.

She reached to unbuckle his belt, but he grabbed her descending hands and looked at her seriously.

"Liv, NOT NOW. I really am working."

She was struck by the tone of his voice and the fact that Edison almost never turned down sex. She could only think of a few times prior. Once when he was coming down with a stomach flu and once a few months before she found out about the affair. She thought about the latter instance often in the months following his confession. She chastised herself, thinking that moment should have been a tell that he was cheating on her. If the Stacey conversation hadn't just happened, there may have been a minuscule chance that she wouldn't think twice about Edison turning her down, but she instinctively knew that something was up with him.

She quickly removed herself from his lap and went to their bedroom

"Liv, we can finish this later," he called out, but she didn't respond.

* * *

Four days later, lying in her bed, she replayed the scenario with Edison in her head debating if he was really cheating. Maybe she was just being paranoid. Maybe he was just busy working. Sometimes she turned down sex, and she definitely wasn't cheating on him. She didn't want to be naïve, but she also wanted to trust that he was telling the truth about not sleeping with Stacey. Olivia knew that she was not going to be a "stand by your man" kind of wife. The first time around, she could forgive him because she genuinely believed him when he said it was a mistake. If she had made an awful mistake, she would want him to forgive her too. But this time around was a different story. If he was cheating again, there would be a better chance of her swallowing shards of glass before she stuck by him and their marriage. She honestly loved Edison, but there's so only so much she was willing to take.

She was now realizing that she hadn't properly dealt with his affair, and the fact that she never talked about it at all, to anyone, probably didn't help. When she decided to forgive him, she basically resigned to ignore her thoughts and emotions regarding the matter. When she was honest with herself, which she was forced to be because the current predicament, she realized that she was still so angry at him and still incredibly hurt by it. As much as she wanted to avoid it, she and Edison needed to have serious heart-to-heart when he returned home tonight. She needed to get to the bottom of the Stacey situation, and she was not going to debase herself by snooping around for answers.

Wanting to clear her mind of those thoughts, she tried to think of her agenda for the day. If the weather outside was any indication of how today was going to be, then it was going to be a terrible day. It was dark and stormy, and Olivia did not want to leave the comfort of her bed. Thankfully, today was a relatively light day for her. She needed to finalize a wedding cake design and finish the cupcakes for FG Advertising.

Before she fully could wrap her mind around her events for the day, her phone rang. She looked at the caller of ID and realized of all people, it was Edison's older sister Lisa. She was dreading this phone call before she even knew what it was about. She had a fine relationship with her in-laws, but Lisa was a character. She was incredibly protective of Edison and ridiculously nosy. Although Olivia hadn't told anyone about the affair, Edison had confided in his sister. Often, Lisa tried to dole out words of wisdom and advice, much to Olivia's dismay. Olivia was now used to Lisa's overbearing ways, but it was an adjustment. Lisa had been known to sabotage Edison's relationships because no one was good enough for her baby brother. She was incredibly passive-aggressive towards Olivia until the day they married, and only then did she finally accept that her brother was now someone's husband.

Despite her better judgment, Olivia answered the call. "Hey, Lisa. What's going on?"

"Oh nothing, Liv. How are you?"

"Good. I'm about to get ready for work. You?"

"I'm great. Thanks. Look, Liv. I won't keep you since you're getting ready for work, but I was just wondering if we could meet for lunch later today."

"Today?" Olivia questioned, thinking about her schedule. "I'm not sure…"

Lisa cut her off before she could reject. "I really need your advice on a personal matter and I'd love to talk face-to-face about it."

Knowing how persistent Lisa could be, Olivia agreed. "That's fine, but can we do a late lunch, early dinner. I have stuff that needs be done at work."

"That would work. How does 3:30 sound?"

Olivia thought about it for a moment. "That's fine. Text me where and I'll meet you."

* * *

It was 2:15, and Olivia unexpectedly found herself rushing through traffic in the rain to get Fitz's delivery to his office on time. She normally didn't make deliveries, but Harrison wasn't working today and Abby was needed at the bakery. She figured she would drop them off and head straight to meet Lisa for lunch. The weather had gotten progressively worse. The thunderstorm was bringing buckets of rain to the area. She pulled into Fitz's parking garage and carried boxes of cupcakes to his office. She was met by a receptionist who clearly wasn't expecting her.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist questioned.

"Yes. I'm here to drop these off. Can I just leave these with you?"

"Actually, if you wouldn't mind dropping them by the employee break room, that would be great."

A little annoyed that she couldn't just drop them off and go, she made her way to the break room. She could remember where it was because of Fitz's tour. As she made her way down the hall, she noticed Fitz in an adjacent conference room. He noticed her too. Seeing that her hands were full and wanting to be polite, he excused himself from the meeting and went to greet Olivia.

"Olivia, let me help you with that." He called out.

"Oh thanks. I was almost there."

"Thank you so much for dropping them off" he stated with a smile. "I wasn't expecting you" he stated as they made their way into the break room.

"We're a little short staffed today, and I was on my way…"

"**Boooom**," She was cut off by a deafening clap of thunder ripping through the building.

The lights flickered, and they looked at each other. Olivia couldn't hide the fact that the boisterous sound startled her a bit. Fitz looked through a window. "It's really coming down out there."

"Uh, great. I have to drive across town in this."

"I'm sorry to have had you come out in this," he said feeling a little guilty.

Picking up on his guilt, she stated, "No. It's completely fine. Your office isn't far from my shop at all. I just have a meeting across town in a few."

"Are you okay to drive in this? I think it might be hailing."

Fitz turned on the television in the break room and changed the channel to the news to check the forecast. His predictions were right. The meteorologist had called for a heavy rain and a large accumulation of hail.

Genuinely concerned for her driving safety, he stated, "You're more than welcome to wait it out here. I'm sure it will let up soon. I'd hate for you to be stuck driving in this."

She thought about it for a minute, and because she truly hated driving in these types of storms, she agreed. She figured it would, indeed, let up soon.

"I guess that's fine. I'll just wait in your waiting area."

"Nonsense. Follow me to my office. It's much quieter there."

"Fitz, no. You're in the middle of your workday. I'll be fine."

"It's really okay. I just had my last meeting of the afternoon. I'm just approving designs. You've got a good eye. Why don't you help me?"

She smiled at his compliment and followed him to his office. He placed a chair beside his desk so that she could see his computer screen. He went to his files, and they started assessing designs. He pulled up a logo a designer had just completed for a lawn care agency. Olivia pointed to the screen, trying to discern the image. "What is that thing?" she questioned.

"I think that's a lawn mower."

"Oh that is awful. You can't approve that one."

"It's not awful. Someone worked very hard on that, you know" he joked, always one to defend his employees.

"Fitz, that thing looks like binoculars on a lanyard, not a lawn mower. You can't approve that. The client will hate it."

He laughed, and the more he looked at it, the more he could see a binocular shape.

They moved to the next logo for a small cutlery company. "Oh! That's cute." Olivia commented.

Fitz looked at it closer. He liked it, but didn't love it. "Something about it seems off," he stated.

He moved his mouse around and brought the logo to Illustrator. He played around with it to figure out what was missing.

"Here let me," Olivia offered.

Olivia wasn't a master at Illustrator, but having made some of her own mockups for her bakery, she knew a little something. She sat up in her seat and moved closer to the desk. She reached to move the mouse, and her hand grazed over his. He felt a jolt, a spark, something sending heat through him, and she felt it too. She looked at him, and he stared back at her intently. She ignored it and went back to the design. He sat back and let her work.

"Maybe if you move the end of the knife here," she stated dragging components of the logo around. "And this piece here. And maybe change the accent color to this hue. It's a little darker." She finished her version of the design and sat back in her seat. Fitz was truly impressed by it. Her suggestions totally made the difference, and he wasn't just thinking that because of whatever the two of them just felt.

"That is actually really good."

"You sound surprised. I might design cakes for a living, but it's still design," she joked.

"I might have to keep you." The double entendre was not lost on either of them.

He clarified. "We need you on pay roll," he stated in jest.

She smiled and looked at her watch. She'd been there for about 30 minutes and the rain still hadn't let up. She needed to get going to meet Lisa. As if on cue, her phone and rang and Lisa's name showed up on the caller ID.

"I have to get this," she stated before stepping outside of his office. Much to Olivia's relief, Lisa was calling to cancel. The weather was too much even for her. She stepped back in his office, and Fitz had turned on his flat screen television that hung on the wall to watch the weather.

"Is it still bad?" she asked.

"It seems like it's getting worse. I can drive you to your meeting if you're not comfortable in this. I don't want you to be late," he stated. Olivia was a bit taken aback by how caring and protective he seemed.

She held up her phone. "She just cancelled. It was just my sister-in-law," she stated shaking her head, and rolling her eyes slightly.

Fitz picked up on her annoyance over in-laws. One of the best things about not being married to Mellie anymore was that her family was out of the picture. "In-laws. I don't miss those."

She chuckled and stated, "You know, they're not that bad. My mother and father-in law are great. My sister-in-law is a real piece of work." She was doing it again, sharing her personal life with him like she'd known him forever.

"I bet she can't be worse than my ex's sister. The amount of money that woman owes us still astounds me."

"Lisa is doing just fine financially. She's just…I don't even know how to describe her. She's just…Lisa."

"Once, my ex-sister-in-law stole my credit card so that she could splurge on $10,000 worth of stuff from QVC."

"Wow! That's a weird way to go on a shopping spree." she said laughing.

"It's not funny. I still get automatic shipments of bareMinerals."

She couldn't stop her laughter. "Fitz, why haven't you canceled it?"

He shrugged. "Some of the ladies here in the office like it, so I normally bring it in and leave it in the break room."

"Oh my god. You're like an Avon lady," she said still laughing. She continued. "My-sister-in-law isn't that crazy. She's more passive-aggressive. She invited my husband's ex-girlfriend as her plus one to our wedding without our prior knowledge."

As if it were a competition, he one upped her. "Well, my ex-sister-in-law once cut Karen's hair without permission and took her to get her ears pierced. I thought my ex-wife was going to blow a gasket."

"She sounds like a real nightmare."

"She is. Luckily I don't have to deal with her anymore."

"I wish I could get rid of Lisa, but it's not happening. She's very close to my husband. My friends and I call her Edison's sister-wife, in the most literal sense," she said with a laugh.

Bringing up Karen made her remember Karen's 16th birthday party. Typically, Olivia tried to follow-up through email or phone with all of her big customers to make sure everything came out to their liking.

"How was Karen's party by the way? I hope she loved the cake."

"Oh it was amazing. Thanks for asking. We surprised her with her favorite band performing, and of course the cake was fantastic."

"I'm so glad to hear that. She seems like a sweet girl."

"She is sweet, especially when she's not mad me," he stated shaking his head.

"All teenage girls are angry with the parents for some reason or another."

"Well, I know the reason. She's upset that I'm making her look for a job."

Olivia gave Fitz a look of surprise. She could tell that they were very well off financially. Karen didn't really seem like the working teenage type.

"My ex is also against it, but I think since we bought her a new car, the car of her choice, she could at least put her own gas in it."

"Working young is probably a good thing for her," Olivia agreed.

"I know she can handle school, extracurriculars and work. She's so smart, and she barely tries at school and makes fantastic grades. I get emails every week from her teachers saying she talks too much and texts in class, but it's hard to scold her when she brings home straight As," he noted.

"I have to admit. I didn't start working until college."

"I didn't either. Everything was basically handed to us in my family, and I really struggled to figure it out financially when I was on my own. I don't want that for her. She should have some idea of finances. She'll always have us for support, but she should know how to handle money for herself," he stated adamantly.

"Well, it sounds like you know her well and what she's capable of. I'm sure if she finds a job she likes, it won't be so bad. She might be angry now, but she'll thank you later."

"I hope so," he stated. It was nice to have someone agree with him for a change. Co-parenting with Mellie was an uphill battle. Every decision was such a challenge.

"You know," Olivia started. "We're looking for someone part-time. I would love to have Karen at my bakery. She's so energetic. I think customers would love her, and if she's not into helping customers, she could help my assistant with the baking."

Fitz was surprised by her offer, but pleased nonetheless. He intuitively trusted Olivia and felt Karen would like working for her. "Yeah?" he questioned. "If you're serious, I may take you up on that."

"Fitz, I'm serious. She's a smart girl. She would fit in perfectly, and it's not a hard job. She wouldn't have to work late during the week if you don't mind her working on school nights. And if that poses a problem, she could work weekends. I'd really love to have her," she ensured.

"Okay. I'll talk to her," he agreed.

"Do you have my card? Call me and let me know what she thinks."

"I don't actually. What's your number and we'll get back to you."

Fitz and Olivia exchanged business cards and contact information. She gave him her cell phone number, and he did the same. The rain had finally let up and Olivia took that as her cue to leave. She had a surprisingly good time just hanging out and talking to Fitz. He walked her to the elevator, and this time Fitz went in for the hug. He still wanted to do so much more than hug her. The whole time in his office, all he could think about was her lips on his and how soft they would feel, and how her tongue might taste. When they touched by the keyboard, her skin was so soft, and he wanted to explore all of it. But he couldn't. She was married, and he would never cross that line.

They departed, and as she entered the elevator with a small smile on her face, her email alert went off, taking her out of her thoughts. She looked to check the notification. Her heart dropped when she read the subject line **"Stacey Erickson.**"

* * *

**AN: So we have a slow build for Fitz and Olivia. They are slowly getting to know each other, but obviously they have a connection. Karen may work for Olivia. Things are not looking great for Edison and Olivia. What might that email say? The next chapter will be upgraded to M (for language) because as you can imagine, things are about to get real. Thank you so much for reading! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

Olivia stared at the subject line, confused as to why anyone would be emailing her about Edison's mistress. She was even more confused when she saw that the message was from Quinn's work email. She waited until she got to her car to read it. The five minutes it took to ride the elevator and get to her car were quite possibly the longest she'd experienced. Did Edison really have Stacey contact the bakery about a cake? He couldn't have been that stupid.

She got into her car, locked the door and read Quinn's message before she started the vehicle. The email contained a message from Quinn followed by a forwarded email from Stacey Erickson. "_What is going on here?_" Olivia thought to herself.

Quinn's email read: "**Liv, we got this weird email sent to the bakery's main email account. Do you know anything about this?" **

The forwarded email read: "**I'm really sorry about everything. Don't worry about the anniversary cake. I won't be contacting him unless its work related. I am so sorry for the hurt I caused. He says that he wants to work on the marriage, and we are now completely done. –Stacey Erickson **

Olivia was shaking. She read the message over and over again. She was livid. She wasn't a violent person, but she could have literally assaulted Edison, if he were in her presence. The nerve of this bitch to contact her through her place of business apologizing about an affair and a cake that she never even considered making. After the fifth time reading the email, she called Quinn who answered immediately.

"Hey, Liv. Did you get that e-mail. Weird right?"

"Yeah it is weird. Have you gotten any other emails like that from that address?"

"No. I don't think so."

"Has anyone called about an anniversary cake?"

"Not to my knowledge," Quinn responded.

"Okay. I don't know what that's about," Olivia lied. "Just block that email address. I'm not feeling too well, so I'm going to head home for the day."

"Okay. See you tomorrow."

* * *

Olivia paced in circles around her living room floor. She was stunned by the occurrence. She didn't know what to do. That email was sort of cryptic and vague. She wanted to know how long Edison and Stacey had been "completely done." And Olivia was surprised to learn that she and Edison were "working on the marriage." They had their issues, but aside from the recent Stacey situation Edison and Olivia were fine. What was he telling her? He was currently in flight so she couldn't call him. She needed to calm down; she was beyond irate and confused. Olivia had no idea how she was going to approach it with Edison. She felt so stupid because believed him when he said he loved her. She believed him when he said it was mistake, but judging from this email, he had been carrying on a long-term affair with his mistress. She grabbed a bottle of wine, drank and paced until Edison arrived home.

Edison walked through the door and saw Olivia seated on the couch. He was immediately alarmed by her state. She had obviously been crying and looked a little tipsy. He moved to her quickly.

"Liv, babe, what's going on?"

"Don't you fucking 'babe' me."

"Liv, what is going on?"

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" She questioned rhetorically and threw her phone at him. It hit his shoulder and fell to the ground.

"What the fuck is wrong with you right now?"

"What the fuck is wrong with me? WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?" she yelled. "I don't know. It could be the fact that your fucking mistress emailed my place of business apologizing about a damn cake that I never agreed to and an affair that has apparently just now ended.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you dare play dumb, Edison." She stated angrily. "I believed you when you said it was over and that it would never happen again. I thought you loved me," she said with her voice as broken as her spirit.

"I DO love you. Please let me explain,"

"The floor is fucking yours. Please help me understand how I could fall in love with a pathological liar who apparently has no regard for my feelings. Please be honest. Just be honest. Are you sleeping with her?" She didn't expect an honest answer. She expected excuses.

"Yes," he stated honestly and calmly.

Despite the signs within the last couple of weeks and even the email she just read, she was completely stunned. "I have **never** hated anyone more than I hate you right now. Get the fuck out of my house," she demanded.

"Liv, let me explain."

"I don't need any further explanation. You have told me all I need to know and so has your mistress. Get the hell out of my house."

"You realize that this is my house too"

"Edison, if you and your shit aren't out of my house in the next 15 minutes, I will make the biggest scene."

"Olivia, please just let me explain."

"There's no need. I don't need your clarification or justification. I don't give a fuck about your excuses or your declarations of love. Please hear me when I say, we are completely done, Edison. There will be no working it out. You clearly don't want me, and I can't put myself through anymore bullshit because of you. We are done. I will have my lawyer contact yours by the end of the week."

"Liv, you are being rash. You are upset. Just think about what you're saying."

"I know damn well what I'm saying. The only thing I need to know, just for my sense of sanity, is when this started again. Please be honest. You owe me that. Just be honest."

"Two months ago, during our New York work week." She felt a little bit better knowing that the last two years hadn't been a complete lie. Even though she said she didn't want an explanation, she was having a hard making sense of it all.

"What does she have that I don't have? God, she's not even that pretty." She felt like such an idiot. She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. She looked back up at him. "ANSWER ME!" she demanded. "What is so great about her that you can't keep your dick in your pants? Do you love her? Why string me along? Why not just divorce so me so you can go live your miserable life with this miserable bitch? I would have been upset, but I would have gotten over it. This. This right here. Is so much fucking worse."

He took all of her questions in. He didn't know the proper response. "She just needs me. I don't know, Liv. She just needs me and wants me more. And maybe that sounds weird, but it's nice to be with a woman who is open and just needs you."

His candor was surprising her and sobering at the same time. She thought about his statement for a moment. Edison wanted to feel needed and Olivia didn't offer that to him. This was partly his fault. When she found out about the affair, she had to close herself off to him. She never wanted to feel that sense of betrayal again. This answer was unsatisfactory for her.

"That is bullshit, and you know it. I don't '_**need'**_ you? You sound like an empty-nester mom right now. What? I don't stroke your ego enough and make you feel like a man? Is that what it means? I don't fake enough orgasms? I hold you accountable for the shit you say and do? Is that what that means?"

She continued. "I know that I'm not always vulnerable to you. I know that, but Edison it wasn't always this way. What about before? The first time you cheated?" She didn't want an answer.

"You don't want a wife. You want a sex robot that doesn't talk or think. You want a woman who's also part genie and can make all your dreams and wishes come true. I'm sorry I can't be everything for you. I am sorry that I can't give you everything you need. That I don't depend on you enough, whatever the fuck that means."

"Liv, it's not like that. I don't love her. I love you."

"There is no way you can love me and put me through this. Honestly, I can understand stand you being attracted to another women. I honestly can. But I don't understand how you could actually follow through with it. If you respected me enough and cared about me enough, you couldn't do it. If you loved me, I would have been in the back of your mind before you cheated. I'm just really sorry that it's taken me two years to realize that we were never going to make it after your affair."

"Liv, c'mon. You are everything to me. We have built such a nice life, a nice home together. We're supposed to have kids and retire in Italy. We were supposed to…"

She cut him off. "Well, I guess you can enjoy that life with Stacey because I don't want any part of that. We are done. There's nothing you can say to change my mind. We are done, and I need you to pack your stuff and leave. Please."

And with that, she left the room. She climbed the stairs and went to their guest bedroom and sat quietly on the bed. For as much sadness and anger she was feeling, she also felt, surprisingly, a sense of relief, like a burden had been lifted. She didn't realize how much she was hanging on to the dream of her Edison living a perfect life together. When she heard Edison leave the house, she left the guest room. She went downstairs and opened another bottle of wine. She knew this was a bad idea, but she needed something to shake her nerves. She needed some form of a release. She couldn't handle having anything bottled up anymore. She grabbed her phone, and then put it back down, knowing it would be a horrible idea to contact anyone in her current state. But she had to talk to someone. She felt like a crazy person and just needed someone to talk to. She picked up the phone again went through her contacts and scrolled down the list. She couldn't call Abby because as much as she loved her, she was also judgmental. She couldn't call Harrison because she knew that if she told him everything that occurred between her and Edison, she would be bailing him out of jail shortly after. She was barely on speaking terms with her parents, so they were a no go. Quinn was too flighty for something of this magnitude.

"_Fuck!_" she thought to herself. She scrolled back up her contact list and landed on Fitz's contact. She thought about it, but knew that she would more than regret it later. She put her phone down and moved to get another glass of wine.

Now that Fitz was on her mind, however, there was no going back. "Fuck it," she said aloud. She grabbed her phone and called him despite her better judgment. It rang three times and she almost hung up, getting nervous to hear his voice. Why was she calling him? What was she going to say? This was a bad idea. He picked up on the fourth ring right as she was about to hang up.

"Hello?" he stated. She didn't say anything. "Olivia?" he questioned.

"Hi," she stated quietly.

"Hi," he responded.

"I was just calling to see if you…um..if maybe you had the chance to speak to Karen," she lied, trying to hide her slurring words.

"I haven't actually. She's normally with Mellie during the week." He was surprised that she was following up so soon. They had just talked about it hours prior.

"Oh that's fine. I was just..." she couldn't keep up with the pretense any longer. She was a couple sheets to the wind and couldn't hide it anymore.

"I'm sorry, but I am very drunk. I think I'm drunk at least. I feel drunk."

"Olivia? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Soo peerrfect," she said sarcastically.

"Olivia what's going on?"

She sighed. "I don't know why I'm calling you. I just...I don't know."

He waited for her to finish.

She couldn't beat around the bush any longer. "I just found out my husband is cheating on me. Again." She said with a broken voice.

"I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Where are you?" Fitz was completely shocked by her admission.

"I'm fine. I mean I'm not fine, but I will be fine. Once I'm not drunk, I think I will be fine. I'm home so…"

She seemed so much unlike herself.

She continued. "It just sucks, you know. It feels shitty, you know? Have you ever cheated? Please tell me no, because if you have, I won't be able to be your friend if you've cheated."

He chuckled a little bit. "No. I've never cheated," he responded honestly.

"Good. Because cheaters are assholes. And you're not an asshole. At least I think you're not an asshole."

"I think I'm not an asshole too" he stated with a smile on his face.

Curious about the circumstances of the affair, he asked, "Did you just find out about this?"

"The cheating? Yes. No. This time. He's cheated before. Two years ago, but he said it that stopped, and now it apparently started again. With the same woman, I might add, who's not even pretty, by the way."

Fitz was so surprised that any man could cheat on Olivia. He knew he didn't know her well, but she seemed so perfect.

"Well, I don't mean any disrespect, but he has to be an idiot to cheat on you."

She smiled. That small statement made her feel a little better. Edison's cheating made her doubt herself in so many ways.

"I had a feeling he was cheating again. I tried to have sex with him earlier this week, and he turned me down. He was all 'I'm working'" she stated, mocking his voice.

Fitz was still incredibly surprised to be hearing all of this. He could tell that she was so hurt, and he wanted to make her feel better anyway he could. He tried humor.

"Are you sure he's not gay?"

"What?" she asked, confused by his comment.

"Your husband, maybe he's gay. I mean to not want to have sex with you. Maybe he's just not that into women." With the attraction Fitz felt towards her, he would have a hard time turning Olivia down in any capacity let alone sex.

She laughed lightly. "Are you suggesting that I'm my husband's beard?"

He laughed with her. "Maybe he's like those songs. You know with the singer that peed on that young girl."

She cracked up laughing, "'Trapped in the Closet'? You're saying that my husband is living 'The Trapped in the Closet' saga?"

"Maybe. That's the only justification that makes sense for him not wanting to sleep with his beautiful wife." He wasn't trying to take advantage of her or hit on her when she was in a vulnerable state. He was just being honest with his thoughts.

Still laughing, she responded, "No. He's not gay. Stacey is a woman."

"That's what he's telling you. For all you know Stacey could really be Steven."

She was laughing so hard, and it felt good to just talk to someone about the affair, even if it wasn't an entirely serious conversation. When she settled from laughing, he stated,

"I'm sorry you're going through this. I've never been cheated on, but I'm sure it feels awful."

"This time doesn't hurt as much as the last time. The last time…" She paused for a moment trying to gather her thoughts. "The last time I felt like a shell of a person when I found out. Like our whole life was a lie. Like I wasn't good enough."

"I've never told anyone about this. The affair. You're the first person."

He was a little flattered that she trusted him.

"Do you think it was stupid? Staying with him even after the first time?" she asked softly.

"No. No, I don't think it was stupid at all," he responded. She felt strangely relived to hear that. He continued, "I think marriages are really hard, and it's a real commitment, and honestly if every person got divorced when they were cheated on, I think the divorce rate would be even higher. The important thing is that you give it all your all, and do what's best for you."

"I just feel like such a failure. I remember our wedding day so vividly, and when I vowed 'til death do us part' I meant it. I remember thinking, if he died, I could never move on. It would be beyond death. God, I loved him so much. I was 23 and so naïve. I thought he hung the moon. And now, I don't even know who he is."

Fitz could definitely relate to this having experienced similar emotions when he divorced Mellie. "I know how you feel, but trust me, you're not a failure. Most people go into marriages with the best intentions. Everyone thinks it's going to last forever. Most people want it to last forever, but the reality is people change, expectations change, and love is just not enough to sustain a lasting marriage. You're not a failure. You're just human. It sounds like you really tried to make it work. I know it's easier said than done, but don't beat yourself up over it."

She tried to take in all that he said. She appreciated every word of it. She needed to hear all of it. "I'm sorry to have called you like this, but thank you for talking to me."

He wasn't sure why, but he just felt a sort of innate desire to care for her, to protect her. He genuinely hated that she was going through this. "You don't have to thank me, but you're welcome anyway. If you need to talk, don't hesitate to call me."

"Okay." She agreed meekly.

"And I'll call you sometime soon when I hear from Karen." He mentioned, referencing her earlier, alleged reason for calling.

"Okay." She said again.

"Goodnight Olivia.

"Goodnight, Fitz."

* * *

Olivia woke up with a pounding headache. Between all the crying and the drinking, she was a total mess. She'd fallen asleep in her clothes on the couch. She looked at her phone to check the time. It was already 9:30 and she needed to be at work by 10:00 to help Quinn open the bakery. She noticed that she had 20 missed calls, 19 from Edison and 1 from Lisa. Last night was a complete blur. She obviously remembered kicking Edison out, crying in her guest room, drinking, and drinking even more. She looked at her call log to see when Edison first called, but was completely shocked to see in her call history that she spent almost a half hour talking to Fitz_. "What the hell?"_ she thought to herself.

She jogged her memory quickly, and then she remembered that she called Fitz and told him about the affair. She smiled remembering how kind and funny he was. Once the reality set it in that she drunk dialed him, and probably blubbered on about Edison's affair, she was completely mortified. "_What was I thinking_," she thought aloud. She didn't know if she should call and apologize for inconveniencing him last night. She decided against it, thinking that would make her seem even needier than she had last night. In her sober state, she was so mad at herself for getting him involved in her personal affairs. He gave her his number to follow up about a job for Karen not to hear about her marriage crisis. It was beyond inappropriate. She felt so tacky and unprofessional. There was no way he'd let his daughter work for her knowing how much of a mess she was firsthand, she thought. She was certain that he wouldn't call her again; at least that's what she hoped, because she couldn't handle the embarrassment.

Not wanting to think about it further, she quickly dressed and headed to work. On the commute, Lisa called again, but given the current circumstances with Edison, she ignored the call. Not even a minute later, Edison called. She knew that he was probably concerned about her not answering his calls last night, so she answered to give him peace of mind.

"Edison, I'm fine. You can stop calling me. I was asleep when you were calling last night." She stated without a proper greeting, wanting to get him off the phone.

"I figured as much. Liv, babe, are you okay?"

"What do you think? Do you think I'm doing okay? I found out that my husband's affair has started again, so I guess I'm doing just peachy," she said sarcastically.

"Babe, I'm so sorry. If I could take it back…I'm so sorry."

"So you've said. I don't know what you want me to say right now. I meant every word that I said last night. We can't…" her voice cracked. "We can't be together anymore," she finished with tears in her eyes.

"You don't mean that," he said in disbelief.

"Edison, I do. I do mean it. I don't want it to be this way. I wish we could have made it work, but it's clearly not working. You can't sleep around on multiple occasions and expect me to stay around for it. You can't tell me that you're sorry and you love me and expect me to forgive you."

As she finished, her phone beeped, and she saw that Lisa was on call waiting. "Fuck," she said out loud.

Edison could tell that he was on her car's Bluetooth and assumed something happened in traffic. "Babe, are you okay? Please drive carefully. You know how the morning commute can be."

She rolled her eyes at his attempt to care about her safety. "It's your sister. She keeps calling me."

"Bitch," she heard him mumble. Out all of things that had just transpired in the last 24 hours, Edison calling his sister a bitch might have been the most surprising.

"Edison!" Olivia scolded in shock. "I have NEVER heard you speak about your sister that way."

"Well, you know, Liv. I think she's the reason that I'm now staying at a Hilton instead of my home with my wife. So excuse me, if she's not my favorite person right now."

"No. You and your inability to keep it in your pants is the reason you're staying at the Hilton. What are you even talking about?" she asked.

He sighed deeply. "You know Stacey and Lisa's kids go to the same private school," he stated and then paused.

"Yes, and?" Olivia stated, needing him to finish.

"I think…I think…she may have put it in Stacey's head to email you. Stacey and I talked last night, and I think Lisa may have suggested it. Even the cake thing. When Stacey brought it up at work, she mentioned that Lisa said that you probably wouldn't mind."

Olivia was trying to process all that he said. She wasn't one for gossip and at this point didn't have the patience for Lisa's shenanigans. "_Was_ _that the urgent personal matter that Lisa needed to talk about yesterday?"_ she wondered to herself. As she tried to process what he told her, the rage that she felt yesterday was starting to creep back up. She needed to get off of the phone.

"What the hell? Why would she do that? You know what? I don't care. I have had enough of you and your crazy ass family, but thanks to you, I won't be a part of it for too much longer. The next time you talk to your bat shit crazy sibling, tell her to refrain from calling me. That's the least you can do." She hung up the phone, and by the time the conversation ended, she was already at work.

* * *

As Olivia's day went on, she could barely concentrate. Everyone in the bakery noticed that she was fidgety and uncharacteristically short to staff and even a little short with customers. Abby noticed and called her out. "Liv, what is going on with you?"

"Nothing. Everything. I don't know," Olivia replied with a sigh.

"Why don't you handle the back, and I'll deal with customers," Abby suggested.

Olivia heeded Abby's suggestion, and as she moved to go to her office in the back of the bakery, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She reluctantly grabbed it, and her heart dropped when she realized that it was Fitz calling. She didn't know what to say to him. He was probably just calling about Karen, so she figured she would keep it very professional.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hi," he stated. His voice was so calming. It was the best thing she'd heard all day. She was so nervous and embarrassed; she didn't know what to say. Again, she figured that she just needed to be professional.

"Hello, Fitz. What can I help you with?"

He was surprised by her formality. Maybe she didn't remember calling him, he thought. After all, she was highly inebriated. "I was just calling to check up on you. I wanted to make sure you were okay after last night."

"I'm perfect," she said in a short tone.

Fitz was a bit unconvinced. "Okay. Well, you know my offer still stands. If you ever need to talk, you can call me anytime."

He was being so sweet, but Olivia couldn't handle it right now. She hated that she caved in and let someone in on the affair and her emotions, especially him. She didn't know why, but she just wanted him to like her and think highly of her. And she truly believed that there's no way, after last night's conversation, he would think highly of her. "I don't think that will be necessary, but I appreciate the offer," she said coldly. Her professionalism was becoming a defensive mechanism.

He was taken aback by her demeanor. In previous conversations, and especially last night, she was so warm and open. Now, it was like he was talking to a different person.

Picking up on her tone, he tried to match her professionalism and change the subject. "I had the chance to talk to Karen this morning, and she is very interested in the position. I'm not sure what your interview process is like, but she would love to be considered."

Olivia was starting to feel even worse, realizing that between last night and this morning, she was giving extreme mixed signals. She had all but given Karen the job yesterday, but with the way she was acting, Fitz assumed that he needed to put on his business hat.

"Fitz, she doesn't have to interview. If she wants the job and you don't mind her working for me, just have her come here tomorrow after school and she and I can discuss it face-to-face.," she said breaking her professional tone.

"Okay. We'll be in contact," he stated, keeping his professional tone. He hung up before she could respond.

As soon as he was off of the line, Olivia burst into tears. Everything was going terribly. She was so rude to the one person who gave her assurance and comforted her when she most needed it. She couldn't believe how she acted towards Fitz. She needed to fix it. She had to fix it. Before she could feel any worse about the situation, Abby came to the back into Olivia's office.

"Liv, sister-wife is here," Abby stated jokingly.

Olivia heard her but she was too confused to move.

"Liv, Edison's sister is here," Abby repeated. "Okay, thanks," she replied. Her blood was beginning to boil as she moved to greet her most unwelcome guest.

* * *

**AN: So much happened here! So Edison and Olivia are done. Olivia drunk dialed Fitz, feels awful about it, and probably hurt his feelings in the aftermath. Lisa is stirring up trouble. What might her visit with Olivia be like, given that Olivia knows the trouble she caused? How might Olivia apologize to Fitz? I'm not even sure yet! Ha! As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I love reading your comments, they're often so funny! **


	5. Chapter 5

Before Olivia greeted Lisa, she went to the bathroom to compose herself. She wiped away her tears, and tried to appear as normal as possible. She couldn't believe Lisa's boldness. The fact that she would take it upon herself to come to her job unexpectedly, annoyed Olivia to no end. Lisa was so strategic. She knew Olivia would not lose her cool at work. Olivia went to the front of bakery, prepared for whatever unexpected torment, Lisa threw her way.

"Lisa," Olivia stated, as she moved to greet her. "What are you doing here?"she asked, trying to keep a pleasant tone.

"Liv, we need to talk," Lisa stated as a matter-of-fact.

"I'm not sure that we _**need**_ to talk. If there's something that you would _**like**_ to talk about, we can schedule a time outside of my business hours."

"Olivia!" Lisa said sternly. "We NEED to talk."

"Lisa, I'm working right now. I'm not talking to you here."

"It's about Edison's affair," Lisa responded loudly and glared at Olivia.

Olivia looked around the room to see who all heard her. Lisa was starting to make a scene, and a few customers were picking up on it.

"Come with me." Olivia demanded, and ushered her to her office.

When they settled, Olivia tore into her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? What is so fucking important that you can't wait until I'm off work? I know about Edison's affair, if that's what this is truly about."

"You do?"

"Yes!"

"Oh Liv, I was hoping you wouldn't have to find out this way. I've known for the past two months, and I've just wanted to tell you, but…" she sighed and continued. "I try to be Eddie's conscious and it was so wrong and tawdry. I kept telling him 'you're going to lose her, if you don't stop.' I'm so sorry, Liv."

Olivia was so confused by Lisa's outpour of sympathy, especially if it was true that she encouraged Stacey to email her. Maybe she really was trying to look out for her, but Olivia knew her well enough to know that nothing was ever that simple with Lisa. She had a hard time believing most of what came out of her mouth. Olivia wondered what "way" Lisa thought she found out about the affair.

"You were coming to tell me about Edison's affair, even though you've known for months and you didn't want to tell me."

"It just wasn't my place."

"But now it's your place?"

"I was starting to feel so guilty, Liv. You are family."

_Not for much longer_, Olivia thought to herself.

"I thought you wanted advice on a personal matter. That's what you said on the phone."

Lisa ignored her remark and responded, "I'm just sorry that it had to end like this. You were such a great part of our family, and you always will be." Lisa stated.

Even though Lisa was right in her presumption that Edison and Olivia were over, the assumption just rubbed Olivia the wrong way. She wasn't buying Lisa's act. Something was off about the whole situation. Olivia wanted to mess with Lisa for a bit.

"What do you mean 'end like this?'" Olivia questioned.

"I mean you and my brother and the divorce."

From the previous phone call Olivia had with Edison, she knew it was very unlikely that Lisa and Edison discussed what happened in their home last night. It was, again, an assumption. She was truly tired of Lisa getting involved in their marriage.

"Divorce?" Olivia questioned, acting surprised. "We've not discussed that as an option. We're not getting a divorce."

"You're not?" Lisa questioned, in complete shock.

"No. Marriages are hard, and I understand Edison's weakness. Men will be men," she lied with a straight face.

"Uh, yeah." Lisa timidly agreed. "So you're not getting a divorce. Even after…" She paused.

"Even after what, Lisa?" Olivia inquired.

"Nothing. I'm just so glad to hear that. So you'll be at mom's birthday dinner tomorrow?"

"Yep. I'll be there. I have the cake ready and everything," she said, continuing to speak half-truths.

"Uh, Okay. Thanks for talking to me, and I'm sorry to barge in here like this. I feel so much better having that off of my chest, and Edison is so lucky to have a wife as understanding as you."

"Yeah, well, you just keep telling him that," she said with a smile as she walked Lisa out.

Olivia had never been happier to see Lisa leave. She figured Lisa would find out sooner or later that she wasn't staying with Edison, but getting to see her squirm, as petty as it may have been, was worth it.

* * *

Now that Lisa was gone, she could finally focus on work. As she made a dozen strawberry cupcakes for the glass display, she contemplated what she was going to say to Fitz, when she called him back. She worked on preparing the frosting, but yet again, was pulled away from the task when Quinn called out to her. "Liv, Edison's on line 1."

She quickly made her way to her office to answer it.

"Edison, new rule. You are not allowed to call me at work anymore unless it involves our home or finances."

He sighed. "Liv, I just spoke with Lisa. So you're coming tomorrow night. We're not getting a divorce? What is going on with you?

"No, we are absolutely getting a divorce. And I am not coming tomorrow. I just wanted to fuck with her. What did you tell her?"

"I didn't tell her anything. I was thrown off by it. I thought maybe you'd changed your mind," he stated with disappointment.

"Well, I'm not trying to play games with you. I am very serious about all of it. But when we talked earlier, she made it seem like there was something else going on that I might not know about. Is there anything else you need to tell me?"

"No. I don't know what she could be referring to, honestly."

" If I found out there is more to this story, and it effects me in any way, I will…"

He cut her off. "There is nothing else. I slept with Stacey in New York."

"Just in New York?" Olivia questioned.

Edison was quiet. She took his silence to mean that it was not just in New York.

"Did you use condoms?"

"Yes." He stated quickly.

Realizing that this conversation could get very inappropriate quickly, she switched gears. "I need to go. I need to get started on your mom's cake which you can pick up from the house. Do not come here."

"Wait. Lisa said that you're coming to mom's dinner. Are you still coming?"

"I would honestly rather eat razor blades than sit at a dinner with you and your sister."

"Liv, please. I am not ready to tell them yet. What I am supposed to say?"

"You could literally tell them something outlandish, like I was abducted by space creatures, and I truly wouldn't give a fuck. That's just not any of my concern."

"Liv, you know how much mom loves you. She will be so disappointed, and honestly, you know she might not have many more of these." Edison was laying the guilt on thick, and in all honestly, Olivia was falling for it. She adored Edison's mom, Lorraine.

"Don't, Edison. Just. Ugh." She thought about it for a moment. "I will go. Just for your mom. But we will drive separately. This does not mean we will get back together. It means that I love and respect your mom, and I want her to have a good birthday. When we're there, you are not to touch me or look at me like you want to touch me.

"Okay." He stated happily. He quickly got off the phone before she could change her mind.

* * *

The next day came quicker than Olivia could have imagined. Shortly after her phone call with Edison, the bakery saw an unexpected rush, and Olivia took a walk-in consultation for a wedding cake. She didn't want to go home, so she worked late at the bakery coming up with new menu items.

Now, it was mid afternoon, and Olivia was making Petit fours with Quinn. "We need to hire someone and quick." Quinn stated.

"I know. It's getting to be a bit much. I had a girl in mind, but I'm not sure if that's going to work out," Olivia replied.

She checked her watch as she worked with Quinn and realized that it was already 3:30. She wasn't sure if Karen would stop by. Her conversation with Fitz left a lot to be determined. She didn't get the opportunity to call him back to apologize yesterday, but she knew, once she got the chance, what she was going to say. She honestly hoped Karen would come by, not only because they needed the help, but she could take that as a sign that Fitz didn't think she was a complete lunatic. The entrance bell rang, and she left the kitchen and headed the front of the bakery. She was pleasantly surprised to see Karen.

"Karen!" she greeted excitedly. "I wasn't sure if you would come."

"Hi, Olivia. Dad said that you were expecting me, so I had to make sure I was here," she replied.

"Oh! It's just...well, never mind. I'm glad you're here and are interested in working."

"Yeah. If I have to work, I would love to work here with you." she said with a smile. Karen wasn't as high spirited as she was when they first met, but she was equally polite.

"I think that you will like it here. We have a fun environment. Everyone loves what they do. It's normally pretty relaxed, but it can get a little crazy. Some customers have better manners, than others, but you have to be pleasant just the same. I know that won't be a problem for you. Is this something that you're serious about? Do we have a commitment from you?"

"Yes."

"Then the job is yours." Olivia stated and shook her hand. "I know this is your first job, but please don't think interview processes are this easy. I like you, and I think you would be a great fit, so you get to skip all the formality."

"I understand," Karen replied.

"The one thing about working here is that I expect you to be on time. I'd rather you be here 15 minutes early than five minutes late, but I also understand that there may be days that you're driving from school and traffic can be out of your control. If you're running behind or think you might be late, just give us a call."

"Okay."

"Let me show you around," Olivia said with much excitement. Olivia showed her the bakery, gave her uniform shirts, and new hire paperwork. She introduced her to Abby and Quinn, and the three of them seemed get along great.

As they were about to depart, Karen reached and hugged Olivia. She was, indeed, her father's daughter. "Thank you so much for the opportunity."

"You're very welcome. We're excited to have you on board."

"I should get going. I have to pick up my baby brother from basketball."

"Okay. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon, and we can get you trained."

Karen left and unknowingly gave Olivia a better way to apologize to Fitz.

* * *

Olivia wasn't sure what she was thinking by agreeing to have dinner with Edison and his family. She could have backed out, but she truly loved Lorraine, like a mother figure. She was always so sweet and accepting of Olivia. She helped her get her job as an agent in New York. She had been a long time literary critic and had vast connections in the literary community. She was one of the few people in the family, who made sure Edison stayed level headed. Lorraine had been diagnosed with gastric cancer recently, and the prognosis was stark. Olivia wanted to spend as much time with her as she could. She also had a fine relationship with her father-in-law, Ben. He could be a bit combative, but was normally easy to deal with. Olivia had no idea how such sweet people spawned Lisa and Edison.

She pulled up to the Davis' house, and it appeared that everyone had already arrived. Olivia walked inside with the birthday cake in hand. Edison moved to greet her. "Liv," he stated and tried to hug her. "Don't touch me," she whispered with a death glare. He stepped back and grabbed the cake from her.

The family exchanged greetings and dinner started shortly after on the family's patio. Olivia would rather be sitting at the kids table than beside Edison, but since she was there, she needed to keep appearances.

"Liv, baby, I'm just so glad to see you. You never visit me anymore." Lorraine noted.

"I know, and I'm sorry. We have just been slammed the last few weeks at the bakery, and I can barely catch up."

"I've heard how busy you've been. Martha and Susan stopped by the other day and told me that you were just swamped with customers."

"Martha stops by every week for cupcakes for her church board meetings without fail. Thank you so much for sending her to us." Olivia stated.

Edison jumped in the conversation and changed the topic. "Mom, did you like the flowers I sent you."

"I loved them, baby. They are just beautiful."

"You know son, if you wanted to give your mom the perfect present, you would get started on giving her more grandbabies."

"Ben!" Lorraine scolded. The room fell silent. Edison's family never pushed the children topic, so everyone was a bit surprised that he brought it up so causally.

"What? It's the truth. Olivia, when are you and my son going to start having babies of your own?"

She sipped her wine and answered, "Probably nev…"

"Probably next year," Edison stated, not letting her finish. He stared at her and she matched his intense look.

"Edison and Olivia will have children in their own time, daddy." Lisa piped up. Olivia shot Lisa a look and moved to excuse herself from the table. "I think I'm going to grab another bottle of wine. Does anyone need anything while I'm up?" she asked and then moved to the kitchen. She didn't want to go back out there so she started washing dishes that were left in the sink. She most have been gone longer than expected because Edison entered the room, creeped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Edison!" she jumped. "No touching!" she yelled as if she was speaking to a toddler.

"I can't help it. You're just so beautiful." He kissed her on the back of her neck. "Edison," she stated as she turned around in his arms. "You're not allowed to touch me anymore," she said quietly with her resolve weakening. "I know, babe," he stated, but he moved to kiss her anyway. His lips pecked hers and she didn't move away from him. A tiny part of her, the small part of her that currently had doubts in her decision, wanted to feel some sort of a connection during the kiss, but she felt nothing. For that, the majority of her was grateful.

She pushed him away, "I'm serious. We're not doing this. I'm leaving." She quickly went to say her goodbyes to the family and left immediately. She realized that if she wanted to divorce him and have it go as quickly as possible, it wasn't a good idea to mingle with him or his family.

* * *

Fitz walked into his office ready to start his day. As soon as he sat at his desk, his private work line rang, and he saw that it was Karen on the caller ID. "Karen, is everything okay. Shouldn't you be in school?"

"No, dad. We had a two hour delay, remember?"

He quickly recalled, "Oh that's right. Are you still at mom's?"

"Yep."

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to call you yesterday. We worked late, but how was your meeting with Olivia?"

"It was really good. The staff seems really nice. Olivia is so nice, and it seems like it's going to be really fun. I have new hire paperwork that you have to fill out and sign. I'm going back there this afternoon. Oh and guess what? We get free stuff. Basically any dessert we want, we get for free"

"That's great, Karen." He loved how excited she sounded. It was a complete 180 from previous conversations about working. He appreciated that Olivia made her feel at home. His last conversation with Olivia was disappointing to say the least. By her tone, he thought maybe he'd overstepped his bounds by calling to check in on her. Despite Olivia's icy demeanor, she seemed genuine about wanting Karen to work there, so he made sure she showed up. Karen and Fitz got off of the phone after a few minutes of chatting. As he hung up the phone, his assistant, Jennifer, came in with a package.

"This just came for you," she stated as handed him a cardboard envelope and swiftly left.

It didn't have a sender name or address, so he was immediately intrigued and opened it. He was confused upon seeing the contents, a card and a blank CD. He opened the card and smiled when he saw that it was from Olivia's personal stationary. She'd handwritten a note that read, **"Fitz, Please accept these tickets as both a token of my appreciation for being a listening ear the other night and a sincere apology for my curtness in our last conversation. Thanks for sending Karen our way. I know she will be a joy to work with. I hope to hear from you soon.-Olivia."** He picked up a pair of courtside tickets to a Wizards game and smiled. He inserted the blank CD into his computer and laughed out loud when he heard R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" blare from the speakers. He picked up the phone to call her and she picked up after two rings.

"Hi," she stated softly.

"Hi. I just received your package. You didn't have to do that."

"I did, Fitz. I am so sorry about the other day. I was just…There's really no excuse for me treating you like that, especially after you were so kind to me. Honestly, I was just so embarrassed that I called you in that state and shared so much. It just felt inappropriate, in retrospect."

"It's okay. I understand. But you don't have to feel embarrassed. Olivia, I…" He was hesitant to finish, but he did anyway. "I really enjoy talking to you."

She was smiling incredibly hard on the other end of the line. It was a small comment, but it made her stomach flutter in the best way.

"I can't accept these tickets though. It's too much"

"Why? It's not a big deal at all. We're season ticket holders, but we haven't gone to a game in years. I normally just give them to my staff."

He paused for a moment to think. "I'll consider taking them if you'll consider accompanying me."

Her heart raced. As appealing as that sounded, getting to hang out with him, she knew that given her current circumstances, it wasn't the best idea.

"Fitz, I would honestly love to, but I'm not sure how appropriate that would be right now."

"I understand. It wouldn't be a date, if that's what you're worried about."

"Yeah? What would it be?"

"Just two…_friends_ getting to know each other. I couldn't let you pay for our first date."

She laughed softly. They both knew that she was not ready or in a position to consider dating, so he didn't push further. However, she loved his implication of being friends with her, let alone dating her.

"Well, in any case, I don't think that would be a good idea. I thought of giving you the tickets because Karen mentioned picking up your youngest from basketball. I figured you could take him."

He hadn't considered it yet, but it was a great idea. Even though she couldn't go to the game with him, she so much wanted to get a chance to see him again. "You know, there's a family day at the park across the street from the bakery this Saturday. We'll have a booth out there. We're giving away water and cupcakes, if you're not busy, you should come out and bring the kids," she nervously suggested.

"I'll have the kids, so we'd love to come."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"See you then." he agreed. They both hung up the phone smiling at the prospect of seeing one another.

* * *

**AN: So in this chapter, Lisa shows up to Olivia's work, Olivia has dinner with the Davis family, Karen is hired, and Olivia apologized to Fitz. I couldn't decide if I should keep the family dinner portion because I know Edison is not a fan favorite. But I kept it because I'm trying to be realistic, and sometimes ending relationships with an ex's family can be just as challenging. So she had a moment of weakness with Edison, but it also served as a point of clarity. Many of you noted that Olivia definitely needed to apologize, and I absolutely agree, so I hope that apology was sufficient. What might happen with Fitz and Olivia at the park? We'll see in the next chapter! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! **


	6. Chapter 6

It was finally Saturday, a much welcomed end to Olivia's week. Now, she, Abby and Quinn were sitting in a booth in the bakery's dining area working out last minute plans for the Family Day event. They were set to leave in about 45 minutes. Harrison agreed to stay at the shop and work while they spent a portion of the day at the park.

"So do you just want to ride there together since we're coming back here?" Abby questioned.

"That's fine." Olivia agreed.

"What all are we bringing again?" Quinn inquired.

"Just cupcakes, our napkins, and bottles of water. Oh and our banner! There will be a table, a tent, and chairs there already." Olivia responded.

"Should we bring palm cards with our business information?" Quinn asked.

Olivia thought about it for a moment. "I guess it wouldn't hurt, but have you seen the water bottles? The labels have our logo, address, and phone number."

"What? How did I miss that?" Abby questioned.

"They were just delivered yesterday." Olivia moved to the back of the counter to show them the water bottles. "Our new advertising agency came up with the logo. When I told Lauren, our account manager, about the event a couple of weeks ago, she mentioned giving away water bottles for promotion. They look really good, right?" she said with a smile.

"They look amazing." Abby agreed.

"Liv, I think this is the first time we've seen you smile all week," Quinn noted.

"Yeah. What's going on with you?"

Olivia was never one to divulge personal information at work, but seeing how the bakery hadn't yet opened, and her staff had grown to become like family, she spilled. She sighed before saying, "Edison and I are getting a divorce."

"WHAT?" Quinn and Abby said in unison.

Olivia was expecting this response. Everyone thought Edison and Olivia were so happy together, and normally they were happy together. "I…I found out that he'd been having an affair, and it's not something we can get past, so I met with a lawyer the other day, and…"

"Oh my god, Liv. Are you okay?" Abby asked, stunned by this bombshell.

"Yeah. I can't say it's the easiest thing to get through, but it's the best thing for both of us."

"So is Edison with the woman or…"

"He says he's not. He wants to work on the marriage, but I can't. I just can't." she finished with watery eyes.

"Liv, it's okay." Quinn consoled. They very rarely ever saw Olivia get emotional.

"So what did your lawyer say?" Abby questioned.

"A lot. Basically, I'm having a team of people help me figure out the best way to handle our finances. They're looking into our accounts. It's just so hard, we have investments together, and we have homes together, cars even. It's just a lot to divvy up. Ugh and technically we have to be "mutually and voluntarily" living apart for six months before we can file a petition or some shit. I just have to get Edison on board with this or it could be a long process. He's been staying at a hotel. I'm moving within the next few weeks."

Abby and Quinn took in all that she shared. "If you need anything, Liv, we're here for you. If you need help packing or moving, we'll be here." Abby offered. Quinn shook her head in agreement.

Olivia was surprised that they didn't interrogate her or question her decision. Abby pulled Quinn up from the booth seat, and the two of them surprisingly brought Olivia in for a group hug. It was unexpected, and maybe a little cheesy, but it was just what she needed. She had never been more grateful to have their support.

* * *

Family Day at the Park was going off without a hitch. It was the perfect day to have it with 75 degree weather and a perfect breeze. This event was expansive with inflatable bounce houses, face painting, food trucks, tents with activities for children, and even live music. The girls settled at their tent and began giving away items as people approached them. Olivia bent down to hand a young family water bottles from the cooler, and when she came back up, she was surprised to see Fitz and his children standing before her.

"Hi, Boss," Karen greeted Olivia.

"Hey, Karen." She looked to Fitz and spoke first "Hi,"

"Hi," he responded. "You've not met my boys yet. This is Teddy and Jerry."

"Hi, Teddy and Jerry. How are you two?"

"Good," they said at the same time.

Olivia looked beside her and said "This is Abby and Quinn. They work with us. And this is Karen's dad, Fitz. His company also does our ads," Olivia introduced.

"Olivia, are you sure you all don't need any help?" Karen inquired.

"I think we're managing, but thanks anyway. Enjoy your day off." She said with a smile.

"Dad, can we go to the bounce house now?" Teddy questioned impatiently.

"I can take him, dad," Karen offered.

"Okay, I'll meet you guys in a bit." Fitz responded, leaving him with just Jerry. Jerry only agreed to come because the girl he liked was bringing the kids she babysat to the park for the day. Jerry quickly dismissed himself. Checking his phone, he turned to Fitz. "Dad, I think I'm going to meet Amber."

"Okay. I'll catch up with you later." Fitz responded.

"It looks like none of my family wants to hang out with me on Family Day," Fitz said jokingly to Abby, Quinn and Olivia.

He saw Abby handing out a water bottle and cupcake to an older woman. "Nice water bottles," he commented in jest to Olivia.

"Thanks! Some advertising company did them for us," she replied with a smirk. Now that the kids were away, the tension between the two of them was palpable.

Abby quickly picked up on it. "Liv, if you need a break, Quinn and I can handle it."

"Yeah, I'll just be a minute. I think I'm going to grab a lemonade," she replied, pointing to a food truck. "Would you like to come with?" she asked Fitz.

"Sure."

They walked side by side to a lemonade stand. Olivia ordered a large lemonade and went to pay, but Fitz beat her to it. "You didn't have to do that."

"Liv, it's lemonade." She loved hearing him say her name and the fact that he felt comfortable to refer to her the way her friends and family did.

Olivia was going to go back to the booth, but she couldn't. She wanted to be around him. He didn't want to leave her side either. They stood staring at each other for a moment, not knowing their next move. She saw a park bench and started walking to it. Fitz quickly followed. It was close to the bounce house, so they could see Teddy and Karen.

"So how old are your two boys?"

"Six and seventeen."Fitz replied.

"Wow! That's a pretty large gap," she noted.

"To say that Teddy was a bit of a surprise is an understatement."

"How long were you with their mother, if you don't mind my asking?"

"We were married for about 15 years, before we divorced. We stayed together until Teddy was 1, but realized that it wasn't working."

"And two teenagers as well." Olivia responded.

"Yeah. It's rough sometimes. And add a six year old to the mix. It's crazy at our house."

"I bet, but I'm sure it's always fun."

"That it is," he said, shaking his head in agreement.

As they talked, they were were trying, but failing to keep a good distance from each other on the bench. He changed the topic. "How have you been? How's _everything_ been?" he asked alluding to her situation with Edison.

"I'm okay. It's been a little weird. It's an adjustment. But it's good. I'm happier than I thought I would be."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I just started looking for places to live…" she stopped herself. As easy as it was to share things with him, she didn't want to involve him in her divorce, especially since she liked him so much.

"Anyway, how's your week been?" she asked.

"Good. Busy. Lot of stuff happening at the office."

"Yeah. Like what?" she asked genuinely interested.

"Well, we pitched a major national retail chain, I can't disclose it yet, but it went really well. And they're really close to signing on the dotted line."

"That's great, Fitz. Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"What else happened during your busy week?"

He was surprised by how interested she seemed in him. He couldn't remember the last time he talked about his job to someone and it wasn't out of nosiness or an attempt at small talk. He'd always wanted this. When he envisioned marriage, he thought of being with someone who was truly intrigued by him. He wanted what his parents had growing up, two people who could talk to each other about anything. He never had that with Mellie, but wondered if he could have it with Olivia. He couldn't believe that he was letting his mind wander as far as marriage when they hadn't even gone on a date yet.

"I hired a new project manager, and we elected a new member to our board of directors."

"Wow! You did have a busy week."

"Yeah, but now I get to relax. Here with you."

She smiled then averted her eyes.

"You have something…" he stated as he cupped her face with one hand and delicately removed a stray eyelash from her eyelid. She didn't know what it was, but assumed that it was flour or icing; she always had baking remnants on her.

When he brought the lash from her eyelid to her mouth, wordlessly suggesting she blow it to make a wish, she rolled her eyes playfully and did it anyway. His hand still cupped her face, even after the eyelash was gone. Their faces moved closer together; Fitz had never seen more perfect lips. Their mouths were mere inches part, when Teddy came barreling to them.

"Dad, come dance with me and Karen!" he demanded, pointing to a live cover band playing Island inspired music and people dancing along. Teddy loved to dance, and sometimes he even got in trouble during basketball practice for his celebratory dancing after making shots.

Fitz gave her a knowing look, wordlessly inviting her to dance with them, but she was working and needed to get back to the tent. She reached in her back pocket to grab her phone to see the time. She noticed a text from Abby reading**, "Go have a good time. We're fine here."** She smiled reading the message and then looked back up at Fitz. He was now standing and waiting to see if she would join them. He was pleasantly surprised when she did. The kids ran towards the music, and Fitz and Olivia slowly followed them. They reached the dancing crowd, and Teddy was so proud to show everyone his moves.

"Look, Olivia!" Teddy said, attempting to do the robot. Olivia cracked up laughing at his adorableness.

"How did you learn to dance like that?" Olivia asked Teddy.

"My dad taught me," he stated proudly.

She looked at Fitz, "Oh, you'll have to show me your moves," she stated to Fitz.

Fitz took that as a personal challenge, attempting to show Olivia his best dance moves. She had to admit that she was truly impressed. The four of them playfully danced for quite a while, even as the crowd started to die down. The band played a cover of Slightly Stoopid's "Collie Man," the perfect mid-tempo song for Fitz to get closer to Olivia, but not close enough to cross a line. Fitz pulled Olivia to him, a respectable distance, and swayed with her in his arms, holding one of her hands while the other rested in the middle of her back. She placed her free hand on his shoulder, and she knew she could get use this. She felt so comfortable in his arms, like it was the way it was supposed to be. She had not one thought of work or Edison. All she could think of was how perfect it felt to be near him. Her phone rang as the song finished, and she reached for it. It was Quinn explaining that the bakery had just seen an unexpected rush of customers, and Harrison needed backup.

"I think. I'm needed back at the tent," she said with a tinge of disappointment.

"Okay, I'll walk you back over."

She wanted to grab his hand on the walk back, but refrained. When they reached Abby and Quinn, they both looked incredibly exhausted.

"It's dying down here. Why don't you two head back to the bakery. And I can stay here. I'll call one of you when I need a ride back," Olivia suggested.

"I can give you a ride once you're ready," Fitz offered.

"You don't have to do that. You're with your kids, and I don't want them to have to wait on me."

"Jerry drove separately, so he can take Karen and Teddy back with him. Besides, you might get bored here, by yourself. I can try be of some assistance here."

"Okay. That's fine," she agreed.

Abby and Quinn departed. Shortly after, Fitz's kids left as well. He helped Olivia at their booth, attempting to answer patrons' questions, making up answers as he went along. It was nice to get to know each other better in a relaxed atmosphere, in an organic way. She learned that he was the middle child, with one older brother and a younger sister. His parents were divorced, but were still really great friends, and living in California. He learned that her parents were still married, but she didn't have a great relationship with either. He could tell that it was a sensitive subject so he didn't push.

It was getting to be late in the day and Family Day was coming to a close. Fitz and Olivia packed things up and headed to his car. She looked at the time and realized that Abby, Quinn and Harrison had probably closed up the bakery and left for the day. Her thoughts were confirmed when they arrived to an empty, dark establishment. He pulled around the back of the building and parked, so she could enter using the rear entrance.

"Are you here by yourself?" he questioned.

"It looks like it. We closed early today since no one was there to do any baking most the day."

"Well, let me help you with this stuff. I don't want you going in by yourself."

"It's fine. It's not even that late." She checked the time and realized that it was close to 7:00.

Fitz insisted on walking her in. He helped her carry the cooler into the kitchen. They dumped the water and ice from the cooler in the large kitchen sink. Olivia grabbed a towel to dry the inside of it. As she moved around the kitchen putting things away, Fitz could feel his member swelling in his pants. He couldn't understand how she made something as mundane as organizing look sexy. But somehow she did. He was mesmerized watching her stand on her tip toes to reach shelves or bend down to pick up containers. He thought maybe he was just sex deprived. It had been a quite a while since the last sexual encounter. Now, that he was thinking about it, it was probably nine months ago when his sister set him up with one of her friends. As he watched her, all he could think about was moving behind her and slowly caressing her. Her hair was pulled up, and he imagined kissing her. He wondered if she was sensitive there. He realized he was getting carried away, but Olivia's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Thank you so much for dropping me off and helping me unload."

She looked at the container of cupcakes that remained from the event. "Do you want to take any of these home? Otherwise, I'm going to trash them."

"Sure. I'm sure the boys would love them."

"Okay, I'll grab a container," she stated before moving to a storage closet to get a cupcake box and returned to the metal work table in the center of the kitchen.

As she boxed them up, he pointed to particularly decadent cupcake. "What flavor is that one?"

"Oh! It's cherry blossom. It's seasonal. The icing makes it. Do you want it try it?" she asked eagerly.

He wasn't particularly in the mood for any more sweets, but she seemed so excited about it, he couldn't turn her down. "Of course," he replied.

She wasn't sure what came over, but instead of handing him a cupcake to try or simply grabbing the icing from the fridge, she instinctively scooped the icing from the cupcake with her finger and lifted it to his mouth for him to taste. Before either of them could think about what was going on, Fitz thoroughly sucked on her finger, delighted by the taste and the softness of her skin. He continued to suck on it, darting his tongue around her finger until she pulled it out of his mouth.

They stared at each other, taking in every feature of each other's face. They couldn't speak, but they both realized that their energy, their attraction was coming to a head. Olivia made the first move, stepping closer to him and looking up at him in awe as if he were something of a monument to behold. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned her head up. She quickly pecked his lips twice before finally grabbing his lips in hers. It was pure bliss for both of them. He cupped the side of her face with one hand and rested the other arm tightly around her waist. As her lips parted further, he snuck his tongue into her mouth. Her heart raced at the contact, and she gladly accepted it, fully savoring it. Her lips were as soft as he'd imagined, and after feeling them on his, he knew he'd never get enough of them. She'd never enjoyed the feeling of latched lips and tongues as much as she was currently.

He moved his hands from her face and waist to her ass, cupping it gently, and she moaned quietly under his caress. Her moans may have been the second best noise he heard her make, only after the sound of her laughter. She stepped even closer to him, with her body pressed against his, and could feel the beginnings of his erection. She removed one of her arms from around his shoulders and trailed her hand down his shirt covered chest and firm stomach until it reached the front of his pants. She massaged his erection through his pants softly at first and then palmed him roughly. There was no way he was going to stay in his right frame of mind with her touching him like that. He wouldn't have been able to articulate his own name if asked in that moment. He groaned in her mouth and unexpectedly broke the kiss, picked her up and sat her on the metal table. She gasped at the sudden movement, but then smiled at him when he stood between her legs and returned to her lips. She moved her hands to the back of his neck, attempting to control the pace of their kiss. She was so incredibly stimulated. She had no idea that it was possible to become as aroused as she was from simply kissing, but the moisture between her legs provided all the evidence she needed.

Not able to keep her thoughts inside, "I'm so…I'm so wet. You're making me so wet," she surprisingly admitted breathlessly against his lips.

Everything was happening so fast. Fitz was barely able to process what she had just said, but once he did, he laid claim to the side of her neck, drawing her skin to his mouth and sucking on it tenderly before biting it gently. That may have been the sexiest comment he'd heard in recent memory.

He was trying to follow her lead, so when she guided one of his hands to the front of her pants, he attempted to unbutton them. As soon as his fingers unfastened the clasp, her cell phone rang. Unfazed by it, she kissed him harder, urging him to keep going. It stopped ringing, but as soon as he tried to unzip her pants, it rang again. This time, the phone took her out of the moment, the reality of the situation hitting her. She broke the kiss, completely breathless, and peered at him with a pained expression. She pushed him away slightly and hopped off the table to see who was calling, but it stopped by the time she reached it.

She panicked internally when she saw that it was Lorraine who had been calling. Lorraine almost never called her cell phone. She normally only called her work or home phone. Before she could get too concerned, her phone rang once more. She was completely taken aback when the caller ID displayed her lawyer's office. Perplexed as to why someone in their office would be calling on a Saturday evening, she nervously answered the call.

* * *

**AN: Fitz and Olivia took it a step further...maybe several steps. Two important phone calls happening in the next chapter. Also, we'll see the aftermath of their impromptu make-out sesh! As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! :) Also, Happy Mother's day to all the mom readers! You'all rock! **


	7. Chapter 7

Olivia didn't leave the room to answer the call. She simply turned her back away from Fitz.

"Hello?" Olivia answered nervously.

"Mrs. Pope-Davis, this is Christy from Hammond, Lewis & Lewis. How are you?"

"Uh, good." Olivia responded nervously. "What's going on Christy?"

"I am so sorry to bother you at this hour, but we were just wondering if we could have you come into our office on Monday morning. Our investigator found in a discrepancy in one of your investment funds, and we'd like to go over it with you."

She thought about it for a moment. "Yes. I can come in. Should I be worried?"

" Honestly, I'm just John's secretary, and I don't know what it's about, but trust me you have the best team working for you, so if it's something major, they will work it out," Christy tried to reassure her.

"Okay. I can be there at 9:00. That's when you open right?"

"Yes 9:00 am with John Hammond."

"Okay. See you then."

Before she turned back around, she buttoned her pants. She turned to face him and anxiety was all over her face.

"Is everything alright?" he asked out of concern.

"I don't know. That was my lawyer's office. They found something weird with one of our accounts that they want to talk about in person." Olivia replied.

She thought about it further. She tried to stay on top of their finances. As a couple, they sat down each month and paid bills together. They each had their own personal checking and savings account, so she knew she was more than financially stable on her own. They also had a joint account for their bills as well as shared investment funds. Because Edison was the professional expert, he paid far more attention to their investments. Edison was really talented at his job, so she never worried about it. She couldn't think of what it might be, so she figured she wouldn't worry about it until she had more information.

He moved to her, minimizing the space between them. They were both trying to process what just happened between them. He immediately felt so guilty for letting the kiss happen. She felt equally guilty for initiating it. She was still married and technically hadn't filed for divorce, yet. He didn't want her to think he was trying to take advantage of her.

Fitz spoke again. "I'm so sorry, Olivia. I don't know what just came over me. That shouldn't have happened like that. I don't prey on barely divorced women. I'm so sorry. We're supposed to be friends and…"

Olivia could feel his guilt, and she didn't want him to feel that way, so she cut him off. "Hey. Don't be sorry. _I_ kissed _you_. Fitz, I don't know what…" She was trying to figure out her thoughts, but she just wanted to kiss him again. She couldn't think about anything else, but experiencing that feeling again. She never wanted it to stop. However, she had to be honest about the situation. The reality was she was still married, and even though she was admittedly happier than she expected, she still felt a bit hurt and needed closure with Edison before she could allow herself to move on. She was never truly open with her feelings with Edison, but right now she felt comfortable just laying it out there.

"This entire day with you has been amazing, and all day I just wanted to kiss you, touch you. And I don't regret it, but honestly Fitz I'm not sure what it all means. I don't know what you're looking for, but I don't think I can offer you anything right now."

He wasn't sure what he wanted either. He just knew that he was drawn to her in inexplicable ways. Yes, he did want to pursue it because it felt special and rare, but the timing of it all couldn't have been worse. He didn't want to be her rebound. He wanted to feel as special to her as she did to him. He couldn't date a woman who may have doubts or second thoughts with him. He wasn't looking for a wife, but at this point in his life, he also didn't want to waste his time.

"I'm not looking for anything serious, if that's what you're getting at. Liv, there's obviously something here between us, but…"

"But I can't explore it right now, so... I think it's just best that we just try to be friends."

He understood so he agreed, even though all he really wanted was to have the opportunity to know and love her. "I think that's probably best. So I guess I'll talk you sometime soon?"

"Yeah. Soon." She stated, and he left abruptly. Olivia didn't have time to figure it out with Fitz right now. She needed to get home to call Lorraine back and try to wrap her head around her finance situation.

* * *

As soon as Olivia got home, she called Lorraine back on her home phone. Lorraine answered immediately. "Hey, Liv. Baby how are you?" Lorraine greeted cheerfully.

"I'm good Lo. Sorry I missed your calls what's going on?"

"I didn't mean to call you twice. You know Lisa got me this smart phone so she could send me pictures of the Jr. and Lana, and you know I can't figure it out. I accidentally called Ben five times earlier while he was playing golf, and gave him such a scare. I'm sorry, baby."

Feeling relieved, she responded, "That's okay. I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks. I was just wondering, and if you're busy please don't bother, but you know the doctor wants to start chemo before the surgery, and I can't drive myself, and I wanted to see if you…"

"I will definitely take you. I want to be there with you," Olivia responded without her finishing.

"You would? Thank you, Olivia. You know Ben can hardly take this sort of thing. He gets so anxious at the doctor's, and that will make me anxious. And Edison and Lisa, God knows I love my babies, but they're _so_ dramatic. It will somehow turn into some deep existential crisis for them. And I don't want that. I need someone strong and level headed with me."

Olivia was flattered that she thought of her that way. She wanted to help Lorraine anyway she could, and she knew that Lorraine was right about her immediate family. It would be bigger ordeal than it needed to be if they went with her. As much as she wanted to distance herself from Edison and his family, there was no way she could turn her back on Lorraine.

"What time do you need me to pick you up?"

"Can you be here on Thursday at 8:00?"

"Of course. I will be there. Okay?"

"Thank you so much Liv. Well, I love you, and I'll see you soon."

"I love you too. Call me if you need anything."

Once they both hung up the phone, Olivia hopped in the shower, washing away the sweat and stickiness caused by Family Day and Fitz's touch. Despite everything that was happening in her life, her mind kept wondering to Fitz. He might have been the most perfect man she could have ever imagined, and she wished that she was in a place to pursue it. How could one person be so sweet and thoughtful, she wondered. She never seriously considered sex with men outside of Edison, but that's all she could think about after their kiss. What would be feel like to be with another man? The idea made her a little nervous. A part of her believed Edison cheated because she wasn't that great in bed. For her, it sort of explained why she only sometimes experienced orgasms with him; maybe it was something she was doing wrong. She hadn't had many sexual partners, so she didn't have much of a comparison. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have Fitz inside of her, to have him touch her beneath her clothes. She shivered at the thought. More than that, she couldn't stop herself from thinking what it would be like to just _be_ with him, to let herself care about him. It brought a smile to her face. Thinking about Fitz made her truly happy.

The weekend ended far too soon for Olivia, but as 9:00am Monday approached, she was growing incredibly anxious. Even first thing in the morning, her lawyer's office was busy. After walking in and waiting for a short bit, she settled in John Hammond's office.

"Olivia, how are you?"

"I'm a little worried, I can't lie."

"Thanks for stopping by on such short notice. The last time you were here you gave us access to assess your joint portfolio with Mr. Davis online.

"Yes?"

"There have just been strange transactions with your hedge fund. You know we had our investigators look into it, and when we last spoke, you said that you and your husband do not typically retrieve money from those funds. They're for retirement."

"Yes. That's right."

"And those investments are managed by your husband's company, but not him personally."

"Yes. They're not allowed to manage their own accounts."

"Well your mutual funds look standard. They maintain federal oversight, but you and your husband's joint hedge fund looks questionable.

He continued, "We think whoever is managing that account is taking money outside of service and management fees. There are withdrawals every month in the same amount."

"How much?" she questioned nervously.

"It's about $1,550 every month for the past 21 months. And I know in the grand scheme of things, it may be easy to miss if you're just casually checking that account, they may just look like investment losses. But in the past two years it's totaled $32,550. And because you said that you and your husband don't take money from those funds, we wanted to look further and verify that it wasn't your husband. We see this often, Olivia, spouses withdrawing funds from bank accounts or investments funds systematically, and then leaving with the money without it going noticed."

"So you're saying that Edison takes money from that account?"

"That's what we thought, but every withdrawal is signed Erickson, S. who is your investment manager, and we think that he or she is stealing money. At first we thought it was some sort of fraudulent scheme, but the money is never replaced or moved around short-term. Your returns are consistent, and fluctuate as normal."

"WHAT?"

"We wanted to bring it to your attention since the fund is managed by your husband's company, a colleague specifically. He might know more of what's going on. You said that he closely oversees your investments in private. I'm sure he didn't miss this. We would advise you to look into this account and talk to him about what is going on. We may be able to use this discrepancy in your divorce settlement, but first we need to know what's going on fully. Is there any way you can talk to him and get back with us?"

"I guess I'm going to have to. I don't know. This is news to me. I don't even know how to process all of this."

"It's a lot to take in and the fund itself is very confusing because many types of investments contribute to it, so it may be difficult to keep track of. Here's a folder with the documents and evidence of withdrawals. They are highlighted in yellow. Take this and talk to your husband and get back to us."

She left with her head spinning with more questions than answers. She had done a good job of not contacting Edison within the past week. Now, she would be forced to talk to him. She sent him an email asking him to meet her at their home at 6:30 that night. He responded shortly after, agreeing to come over.

* * *

Olivia sat in her dining room with a glass of wine waiting for Edison's arrival. She didn't have to wait long. He arrived at 6:30 exactly. He used his key and walked into their home. "Liv," he called out, looking for her.

She got up to meet him. She could tell that he came straight from work. "Follow me," she directed.

"What did you want to talk about Liv?" he asked with hint of optimism in his voice. On the drive here, he thought maybe she'd reconsidered the divorce. As he moved fully into the dining room, he knew that he was probably mistaken. He was met with documents strewn across the table.

"Edison, let me preface this conversation, by saying I don't have time for bullshit. I have a few questions, and I expect honest answers. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Liv. What is this about?"

"I met with lawyers. They looked into our investments for me. They found discrepancies. Is there anything you want to tell me about our pension fund?"

He sighed and covered his face with his hands.

"Fuck, Liv. What have you done?"

"Edison, is there anything you need to explain to me, because these documents show monthly withdrawals of $1,550 every month for almost two years. First, before you even answer that, since when is Stacey managing our finances?"

"Liv, she is one of the best managers, and I trust her. She started about three years ago. I didn't want to tell you because of everything that happened."

"Edison, I trusted you with our investments, and I expected, since you are the expert, that you would do what's best for us, so I'm having a hard time understanding what is going on? Why are these withdrawals happening? What is the money going to? Is she stealing money? Are you giving her money? What is going on?

"Why the fuck do you have some outsiders looking into our finances? Have you completely lost your mind?"

She stared at him blankly. "You need to start answering my questions. What is going on, Edison?"

"Think about it Olivia. What do you think it's for?" He asked annoyed.

She honestly had a lot of thoughts. It could have been a weird debt or a gambling problem that she didn't know about. Maybe he was taking care of his parents or sister, and she was unaware. Was it the cost of healthcare? Maybe he was sick, and he didn't want to tell her. The most prevalent thought however, was that it was some form of a child support agreement. She didn't want to believe it because was too fantastical, but it was certainly a possibility given the timing of it.

"I have a few ideas, but I want you to tell me. I want to hear it from your mouth. What is going on?"

He wouldn't budge. He was completely silent. "Is Stacey stealing money?"

"No." he stated quickly.

"Is it some financial scheme?"

He chuckled. "No."

"Is it child support?" she asked not really wanting the answer.

He didn't say anything. "Is it fucking child support?"

"Not exactly."

"What does that mean? 'Not exactly.' Either it is or it isn't."

"It's preschool costs and a few other expenses" Edison replied quietly.

She shook her head. She was so mad she started crying and shaking. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW? YOU HAVE A CHILD? YOU HAVE A CHILD WITH STACEY?"

He meekly shook his head yes. "What the fuck kind of _The_ _Bold & The Beautiful_ ass life are you living right now? Is this a joke?"

She was trying to take it all in, but she was beyond pissed off. She had to stop herself from throwing her wine glass at his face. She paced instead. "How long have you been a father, Edison? Jesus, do you realize how crazy this sounds?"

"She's almost two."

Olivia chuckled in disbelief and rolled her eyes. "You have a two-year-old daughter?"

She tried to think about the timeline in her head. "So you've been paying $1,500 dollars a month to take care of your daughter?"

"Sort of yes. She started Lawson Montessori last year with Lisa's kids. Before that it was the Children's Academy for daycare. I pay for her child care."

"She goes to **_that_ **expensive ass daycare. You pay $18,000 a year for daycare? You pay close to $20,000 dollars a year with **_my money_** for your child to go to one of the most expensive daycares in the country? I just want to make sure I'm hearing you right."

" It's preschool now, and yes," he stated with his head down.

"How long were you going to keep this from me? Do you realize all the ways this could have been avoided? Do you realize how fucking sloppy you are? Did you not think that one day I would find out about this? Why didn't you use your personal bank accounts for this shit?" she questioned angrily.

"You would have seen it, Liv. We check all of our bank accounts together every month when we pay our bills. I was going to tell you, Liv, but I knew you would leave me. I couldn't handle that."

She continued to hurl questions at him. "Who else knows about this?"

"Just me, Stacey and Lisa."

"Lisa?! You told that fucking unstable nut job before you shared this with your wife?" She was close to slapping him.

"Do you even see your child? When do you get the chance? Are you as shitty of a father as you are a husband?"

Edison was getting heated. Olivia was infuriating him. "I take care of my daughter Olivia, not that it's any of your concern, and at least someone could give me a daughter."

His words hit her at the pit of her stomach. "You are a piece of shit, and a dumb piece of shit at that. Every single dime of that money will be put back into that account. You can pay for your child's ridiculously overpriced childcare on your own. Not only that, once that money is put back into that fund, you are never to touch it again. You can remove yourself and Stacey from it. By the end of the week, I will have a new firm handle my investments. You can consider that your parting gift to me."

"Are you crazy? I'm not doing that. That is my money too."

"Edison, try me. I want you to see what happens if you don't do it by yourself and if have to get my lawyers involved any further. I'm taking your mother to chemo later this week. You need to tell her that we are no longer together. Tell her how you slept with some bitch and got her pregnant, while I made sure you had a comfortable home. Tell her how you stole your wife's money to pay for your illegitimate child, while I was poked, prodded and went under every invasive procedure just for the _possibility_ of expanding our family for you. Tell her that you're a manipulative scumbag, and looking at you disgusts me. Now give me my key and get the fuck out of my house."

* * *

The last few days had been a whirlwind for Olivia. Any remaining hurt and confusion she felt about Edison and their impending divorce was replaced by intense loathing. No one had deceived her the way her Edison had, she thought this sort of crazy stuff only happened in the movies. She had no intentions of ever contacting him. As far as she was concerned, any form of communication would have to occur through their lawyers. She wanted to sever all ties with him as quickly as possible. If she didn't love Lorraine as much as she did, she would have gotten out of taking her to chemo, but she couldn't. She arrived at Lorraine's house and she was waiting on the porch. Olivia got out of the car, hugged her and helped her to her car. Olivia expected the car ride to be awkward.

"How are you doing this morning, Liv?"

"Good. You?"

"I've been better. I'm not going to beat around the bush. Edison told me about you two last night," she said with disappointment.

Olivia wasn't sure what she knew, so she was cautious with her words. "Lo, I'm…I don't know what to say really. We tried."

"_You_ tried." Lorraine corrected.

"I'm sorry he's put you through this, Liv. I'm embarrassed…"

"Don't be. This is not a reflection of you or Ben, Lorraine. He is his own person."

"Baby, I know how you are, and I don't want you blaming yourself or thinking there was something you could have done differently as a wife. I love my son more than anything, but I didn't raise him to act like this or treat people this way. It's not right."

She continued. "I just want you to be happy, Liv. It's time for you to be happy. Don't let this stop you from living your life fully and being happy."

Olivia let tears stream down her face as she drove, thinking about Lorraine's words. She so grateful for Lorraine, and she didn't want her relationship with her to change. She was resolved to cherish the time that she had with her.

* * *

It was finally Friday, and Olivia couldn't stop thinking about what Lorraine shared with her about being happy. When she thought about herself and happiness, she immediately thought of Fitz. All week, when she was dealing with the awfulness of her personal life, she thought of Fitz and smiled. She wasn't ready to take the plunge with him, but she couldn't let what they had go to waste. There was no need in bullshitting about their connection, and naming it "friendship." She decided to call him. They hadn't talked since last Saturday.

"Hello?" Fitz answered.

"Hi,"

"Liv. I wasn't expecting to hear from you."

"Are you busy?"

"No. Not really. I'm wrapping up at the office."

She cut to the chase. "Have dinner with me."

All of him wanted to have dinner with her. He wasn't opposed to the idea, but he wasn't sure if it was the best idea given her circumstances and the fact that he hadn't heard from her all week. She didn't call him, and he didn't call her either. He felt like they left the ball in her court. If she wanted to talk to him, she would have called, he told himself all week. Now she was calling, and he was resistant for some reason.

"Liv, I don't know if…"

"Do you have plans tonight?"

"No."

"Then have dinner with me. I have had an unbelievable week. I haven't slept or eaten properly. I want wings, and I want them with you. So have dinner with me."

He smiled to himself. "Okay. I'll have dinner with you."

"Good. Meet me at Jim's in 30?"

"I'll be there."

XXX

Less than an hour later, the two of them were seated across from each other in a booth looking over the menu. Fitz could not get over how breathtaking Olivia was without even trying. She wore a small amount of makeup, jeans and loose fitting blouse.

"How spicy do you think their habanero wings are?" Olivia asked, making conversation.

"Probably not that spicy."

"You think? They seem like they would be pretty hot."

"It's hype. They are not that spicy," he stated as a matter of fact.

"And you know from personal experience?"

"No. I just…They can't be that spicy."

"I dare you to order them and eat most of them."

Fitz thought about it for a moment. He figured he could handle them. "Challenge accepted," he said with a smile.

They ordered wings, beer, and wine and ate cheese fries while they wanted for their entree.

"So? Rough week?" he asked, referencing on their earlier phone call.

"Understatement. I don't want to talk about it or think about it though. How was your week?" she asked as she took a sip of wine.

"Fine. We started working on Senator Ross' reelection campaign ads. They look really good."

"Ugh. You're working with him? He is awful," she stated honestly.

"He's a great guy. My dad and Ross are great friends."

"Maybe he's a nice guy personally, but he's a terrible politician."

"He's in his fourth term as senator I think his constituents would disagree."

Olivia was normally apolitical, but Senator Ross' brand of conservatism rubbed her the wrong way.

"Well they're idiots," she said as a matter-of-fact.

"I'd vote for him," Fitz stated proudly.

"Oh my god, please tell me you're not a Republican."

He didn't say anything. He smiled instead.

"I'm sorry to break it to you, but I come from a long line of congressional and gubernatorial Republicans."

She shook her head playfully.

"I won't hold that against you," she said in jest. As she said that, their waitress returned with their dinner. When the waitress placed the habanero wings in front of Fitz, Olivia laughed immediately knowing this was going to be an interesting experience.

She watched as he took a bite out of it, and he seemed to keep it together. He ate the entire wing without a problem. He took a bite out of the second wing and his eyes started to water. Olivia didn't say anything. She ate her meal and watched him struggle. He was taking sips of his beer every few bites. His face was turning red, and he was starting to sweat.

"Fitz, are you okay. You don't have to eat them. You look like you're about to pass out."

"No it's fine. They're delicious," he said unconvincingly.

She couldn't help but laugh at his unwillingness to admit that they were too spicy for him. She was starting to get concerned. "Fitz, please stop. They're too hot, and it's okay," she said as she reached across the table to touch his arms.

He took one last bite and pushed them away. "I can't do it." Olivia was hysterically laughing.

"Stop laughing, Liv. They are really hot."

"I know. I told you."

He bent his head, feigning embarrassment. "It was a good try. A nice effort," she said to appease him, laughing all the while.

They spent the rest of dinner laughing and joking with each other about everything from sports to pop culture. They were some of the last people to leave the restaurant. After bickering about who would pay for the meal, Olivia conceded and let Fitz pay. They eventually departed, and Olivia still couldn't contain her laughter thinking about the wing fiasco as he walked her to her car.

"It's not that funny," he stated as she grabbed his hand in hers. He was surprised, but went with it.

"It is _so_ that funny."

He shook his head, "My lips are still numb. I can't even feel them," he said as he touched his mouth with his free hand. They reached her driver's side door and didn't move away from each other.

Now that he brought attention to his mouth, she couldn't stop staring at it. She wanted nothing more than to experience what they had in her bakery. She had been thinking about kissing him all night. He'd been thinking the same thing. He pressed her against her car door, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He held her around her waist firmly. She couldn't get over how his eyes were so perfect; his entire face was perfect. He thought she was the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen. She couldn't stand what little distance they had between them. She moved to lick his bottom lip.

"Could you feel that?" she asked seductively. He definitely could, and the twitch in his pants was proof, but he shook his head no to see her response.

She took his bottom lip in her mouth, tugged it then bit it gently. "What about that? Is it still numb?"

He shook his head yes. She took his lips fully in hers and sucked on his bottom lip. When he opened his mouth, she gave him her tongue, and he twirled it, caressed it with his, tasting the vague remnants of her Syrah. Maybe it was the emptiness of the parking lot, but they were unconcerned that they were in public. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

"Please don't use me. I can't be your rebound," he said quietly with his voiced filled with desperation.

She gave him a pained expression and responded, "Please don't break me because, Fitz, I can't stay away from you." He knew that he could never intentionally hurt her. All he wanted to do was take care of her and make her happy. He kissed her in response and grabbed her ass.

"Will you call me when you get home?" he asked against her lips. She kissed him before responding, "As soon as I get home," against his.

With that, he opened her car door and she started her car. She rolled the window down and he closed the door. He leaned through the window and kissed her one more time. They didn't say it, but they both knew that it was the beginning of something special.

* * *

**AN: BKGladiator, thanks for your review and question! BKGladiator, wondered why I have Olivia waiting 6 months for her divorce, given that the District, like the 50 states, allows no-fault divorces. There are two reasons. 1. I liked the idea that there would be a legitimate, legal obstacle stopping them from rushing into anything. 2. I looked up D.C. divorce statutes, and according to the statute, parties have to "mutually and voluntarily" live apart for six months OR live apart for a year (I'm assuming the distinction is that one party does not want to live apart) before a court grants a divorce. I know in my home state, even though you don't have to show that a party committed a wrongdoing in the marriage (i.e. no-fault), in order to be granted an absolute divorce, the law requires parties to live a part for a year. However, I know firsthand that this is not always upheld, because in our family courts you don't have to provide evidence that you lived apart for a year. You just have to provide the date that you separated with the intention of it being permanent. People make up these dates all the time. Ha! However, I could be interpreting D.C.'s statute wrong, and please let me know if I am. :)**

**I love your questions! So if you have any, please leave them in the reviews!**


	8. Chapter 8

Abby and Olivia worked in the kitchen making bows out of fondant for an adorable baby girl's first birthday party.

"Do you think these are too pink?" Abby asked holding up a newly formed bow.

"No. The mom said that she wanted them 'Pepto-Bismol pink,' so I think they're fine."

"Maybe we can get Karen to finish the rest of these when she gets here," Abby said as she moved to another cake.

"Thanks for teaching her how to handle the fondant. She's really good at it."

"She is a quick learner. Speaking of Karen, what's up with you and her dad?" Abby asked, trying to use any segue to figure out what was happening between Fitz and Olivia. She knew for the past few weeks, Olivia had been seeing him and talking to him regularly.

Olivia couldn't hide her smile. Just mentioning him gave her butterflies. The past three weeks with Fitz had been amazing, and in all honesty, not too much had happened between them. After their impromptu wing date, they talked almost every single night on the phone. It was like having a middle school crush. Their schedules unfortunately did not allow them to see each other as often as they both would have liked, but they were fine with talking or texting as much as they could. Fitz had been keeping the kids at his place for the past week while Mellie went on vacation with her girlfriends, so that kept him preoccupied. He had also just arrived back in town after spending a day meeting a potential client headquartered in Connecticut, and because he flew in late, the two didn't get the chance to speak in the past 24 hours. Olivia was surprised by how much that affected her, how much she'd grown accustomed to at least hearing his voice each day.

"Nothing. We're just…um. I don't know," she tried to explain. They were taking it slow, so they didn't feel the need to put a label on their budding relationship. She wasn't sure what they were, and she was fine with that. She just knew that she was really happy getting to know him.

"Does Karen know about you two?"

"No. Not really. There's not really much to know. I mean were not hiding anything, but so far there's not much to tell."

"Do you think it will be awkward for Karen? Having her boss date her dad?"

Olivia hadn't really thought about it. She hadn't really considered what she and Fitz were doing as dating. They went out for lunch or dinner a few times within the past three weeks, but she never considered them dates. Fitz very often talked about taking her out on a proper date and doing something romantic with her, but she always played it down, suggesting they keep it low key. He never pushed because they were both fine with just going with the flow.

As if on cue, her cell phone vibrated, and it was Fitz calling. She excused herself, went to her office and closed the door.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Hi, Liv,"

"How was your trip?"

"Meh. It was okay? How was your day yesterday? I'm sure it was catastrophic since you didn't get to speak to me," he said jokingly.

She played along, even though there was a smidgen of truth to his comment, "Yep. It was the worst. I'm not even sure the sun even rotated on the right axis since we couldn't talk."

He chuckled. In seriousness she stated, "Guess what!"

"You saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico?" he playfully guessed.

She wasn't expecting that response. Laughing she responded, "What? Silly, no. I got the keys to my townhome yesterday."

"Really? That's great, Liv."

"It is so perfect. My new bed and couches were delivered yesterday, too. I took a few boxes over there last night and this morning. I haven't stayed there yet, but I can't wait."

"That sounds awesome. I'm happy for you. I can't wait to see it."

"I can't wait either. You're going to love it."

There was an empty pause, and he changed topics. "What are you doing for lunch?" he asked.

"I'm only working a half day, so I think I'm going to go to West Elm or Pottery Barn during lunch. There are a few odds and ends I need. Why?"

"I wanted to see if I could take you out to lunch, but since you've got big shopping plans…"

She cut him off. "Well eat an early lunch and come with me," she suggested.

He thought about it for a moment. He did not like the idea of furniture shopping, but would never pass up the chance to see her. "I think I can manage that."

"Okay, meet me at 12."

"Will do."

They hung up, and the idea of seeing Fitz gave Olivia a burst of energy to finish the frist half of her day.

* * *

They pulled up at almost the same time and parked beside each other. They both opened their car doors with huge smiles on their faces, with child like enthusiasm to see the other. As soon as he could reach her, he embraced her and kissed her soundly on the lips. Eager to shop, she pulled away before they got carried away.

"Hi, beautiful," he greeted.

"Hi. Ready to shop?"

He shook his head yes, and Olivia held his hand and walked them inside of the furniture store. It took less than ten minutes of browsing for Fitz to get completely bored with this outing. He started picking up objects and playing around with them. He picked up a medium sized circular piece of decor and tossed it in the air.

"Fitz! Put that down. You're going to break it," she playfully scolded.

"Isn't that what's it made for? To be tossed around. It's like a medicine ball right?"

She laughed. "No. It's a sculpture," she corrected before taking it from him.

They moved along to look at rugs. Olivia studied them closely. She decided on a blue and ivory Ikat rug. Fitz noticed the price and was appalled.

"Liv, that thing is $800 dollars!"

"Yes," she stated as she further examined it.

"That is ridiculous. It's not even that big."

"I hate to break it to you, but this is a mid-range rug. Rugs can be thousands of dollars."

"What? Why would someone pay that much for a rug?"

"They add a lot to a room," she explained. Surprised by how little he knew about home décor, considering he had his own place, she asked, "Did you not have a hand in decorating your home?"

"No. Not really. I made my assistant do it."

She smiled and shook her head dismissively. "What? I paid her," he explained.

She took his hand and walked him to the shelves. Olivia eyed a massive circular wall shelf, and decided that it would work for her living room.

"Are you going to be able to hang that yourself?"

She looked at for a moment. "It might take me a while, but I can do it," she figured.

He checked it out further. "That thing is huge. There's no way you'll be able to do it by yourself," he said as he checked his watch. "I have a few hours before I have to pick up Teddy from school. We can just hang it together while I'm with you."

She thought about it for a moment. It was either that or have Abby or Quinn help her. "Okay, just follow me to my place." Olivia finished shopping and Fitz helped her carry her new home décor to her car. Within 15 minutes, they arrived at her new townhome. The pair unloaded and settled into her home. She gave Fitz a quick tour around. It was still bare with boxes scattered about, but he got a good feel of the place.

"Liv, I love it and it's in such a great area."

"I know. It's so close to everything."

He moved to her large, newly purchased shelf. "Where do you want this?"

"I was thinking that wall," she said, pointing to a wall adjacent from her fireplace. "What do you think?"

"I think it works. Do you even have tools?" he asked skeptically. He hadn't considered that aspect before he offered to help her.

"Yes, I have tools! The assumption that I wouldn't feels a little sexist," she joked before digging in a box to find them. "They're purple," she added. They smiled at the irony of her having a gendered colored tool set after her claim of sexism.

"Let me change first," she stated before they got started. She figured she would probably spend the rest of the day unpacking, so she brought over clothes that she would be comfortable in.

She dug through a box and found dark blue running shorts and a gray tank top and changed quickly in her spare bathroom. She checked herself out in the mirror and realized that she was having an unusually good hair day. She combed through it with her fingers and met Fitz back in her living room.

Fitz was stunned speechless upon seeing her in exercise attire. With her toned, perfectly proportioned physique, she made workout clothes look spectacular. Fitz tried not to ogle her, but was failing miserably. Although she wasn't trying to get his attention, she loved that he looked at her like she was the first woman he'd ever encountered with equal parts intrigue and adoration. He ignored the twitch in his pants, and they worked on hanging the shelf. Thirty minutes later, it hung perfectly on her wall.

"Thanks for helping me," she stated sweetly as she moved away from the shelf to make sure she liked its placement. She then moved closer to Fitz to fix a piece of his hair that had gotten out of place during the hanging of her shelf. He grabbed her by the waist.

"You're welcome," he replied before kissing her softly. He only had the intention of pecking her lips, but she deepened it, fully sucking on his lips, trying to access his tongue with hers. He quickly gave her his tongue and then sucked on hers in return. He moved his hands to her ass and massaged her cheeks softly, generating a quiet moan from her. This was the most passionate they had kissed since the bakery, and they could not hold themselves back. She wanted him to pick her up, so she hiked one leg up and pressed it against his. He got the cue and picked her up, barely breaking their kiss. With her new home filled with unpacked boxes, he had no idea where to carry her. Since her couches were filled with boxes, he attempted to move them to her bedroom. The walk was clumsy as he tripped over boxes and shopping bags, kicking objects in his path trying to get to her room. She clung tightly to him, laughing at their inability to make it without stumbling.

He finally made it to her room, which was completely bare excluding her new bed that lacked sheets or a comforter. He placed her in the middle of the bed, gently laying her on her back, and slowly moved on top of her. He continued to kiss her, completely enjoying the taste and feel of her plump lips. Any time they had kissed previously, he allowed her to control the rhythm, wanting her to feel comfortable with the pace they were moving. Now, however, with her looking as beautiful as she did currently, he couldn't stop himself from taking charge.

She wrapped her legs around his waist as he laid sodden kisses up and down her neck. The attention he was giving to her neck, she wanted to feel all over her body. He could tell by the way she was grinding against his pant covered erection that she needed to feel more. He pinned her arms over her head for a moment while he kissed his way back to her lips. She continued to work her hips against his crotch beneath him. He broke the kiss and stared at what he deemed the richest brown eyes he'd ever seen. He let go of her hands slowly, but wanted them to above her head.

"Keep them there," he demanded. She obliged and looked at him blankly wondering,

"_What is he going to do next?"_

"_Are we moving too fast?"_

"_God, his lips feel good."_

Her thoughts completely left her when she felt him inch up her shirt and kiss portions of the smooth skin that he was meet with. She wanted to touch him, but instead kept her arms over her head as told. He pushed her shirt up until it reached her bra. He was hesitant for a moment, but when she lifted up slightly so that he could take off her tank top, he swiftly removed the shirt from her body, carelessly tossing it aside, revealing a solid gray bra.

He slowly sucked on her neck as he cupped her left breast, gently massaging it through the bra. He reached behind her to unclasp it then moved the straps down her shoulders and arms until he could completely remove it from her body. He took a moment to admire the roundness of her breasts, perfectly perched on her chest before him. Showing equal attention to both breasts, he took them into his mouth one at a time, circling her nipples with his tongue.

"Fitz," she called out quietly, cradling his head to her chest. She was throbbing between her legs, and it was intensifying as Fitz sucked on her nipple. She instinctively moved her free hand to the front of her shorts. Before she could reach inside of them, Fitz moved her descending hand out of his way, and quickly reached inside of her underwear while moving his lips from her chest back to her mouth. She gasped in his mouth at the contact of his large hand covering her wet core, and needing friction, she thrust forward. He continued to cup her while they exchanged tongue filled kisses, enjoying the wetness in his palms. He stroked her clit with one knuckle, and her breathing became labored, heavily panting underneath him.

"Fitz, Fitz," she continued to call out breathlessly to him.

"What, Liv? Do you want it like this?" he asked as he stroked her clit with his thumb. "Or is this better?" he asked while plunging two fingers into her core, pumping into her steadily.

She responded by pulling his head closer to her, taking his lips in hers, and shoving her tongue in his mouth. As if her spine was made of rubber, she fully arched her back off of the bed as he pumped his fingers rigorously into her.

"Will you come hard for me?" he asked against her lips.

She moaned and whimpered in response with her eyes shut.

He stopped his movements to her dismay. Trying to get her attention, he asked, "Will you come hard for me? Tell me you will."

She opened her eyes, staring into his. "So hard, Fitz. I will come so hard for you. Please," she managed to get out while at the edge of an orgasm.

The sound of voice, her whimpers and moans were driving him insane, and as much as he wanted to be inside of her, he felt an overwhelming desire to simply please her. He hurriedly pulled down her running shorts and threw them on the floor, leaving her in just her underwear. She froze completely, nervous about taking the next step.

"_What if it's not good for him?_" she seriously considered.

When he didn't undress himself, she became more worried. But her anxiety was replaced with pleasant surprise as he dove between her legs and kissed her inner thighs, slowly drawing in her skin with his lips and nipping at them gently. He kissed her wet core over her underwear, and she couldn't help but thrust forward. He slowly pulled her underwear off, lifted her legs over his shoulders and plunged his tongue into her center. She was going out of her mind, writhing, twisting and thrusting as he licked and sucked at her folds. Her moans were growing more intense, and the bareness of the room was causing her sounds to echo loudly. She held the bare mattress for support before reaching for his hand to hold as he tasted every inch of her core. He relentlessly flicked his tongue over her clit, and she started uncontrollably shaking.

"Fitz! Oh god! Oh god! I'm going to…oh god," she called as she squeezed his hand as if it were a stress ball. Her eyes began to water; she was literally on the brink of tears. She was almost certain that nothing felt as good as his tongue inside of her. With a few more circular swipes of his tongue on her clit, she came aggressively.

"FIITTZZ" she yelled continuously. She had never experienced an orgasm quite as powerful as this one. He licked and kissed her core until her screams stopped and her breathing regulated.

She sat up quickly needing to reach him and wanting to feel his tongue in her mouth. She grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him in for a sloppy kiss. He broke the kiss to look at her.

"You're so beautiful," he stated sincerely before rubbing his nose against her nose. She slowly rested back on the mattress and pulled him with her so that he could rest on top of her. They simply smiled at each other before she thoroughly kissed him once more. He rubbed her naked body all over. She was thinking so many thoughts at once. She knew for a fact that she came harder on Fitz's tongue than she ever had during intercourse with Edison. She loved that Fitz took control coupled with his ability to be incredibly tender with her.

He pulled away again. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he was certain that he needed to leave to pick up his son from school. He checked his watch, which confirmed his inclination.

"I have to go. I have to pick up Teddy," he stated with a hint of disappoint.

She shook her head in agreement, but frowned at the same time. "I will pay Karen time-and-a-half to not come to work and pick up Teddy instead."

He smiled at her offer, loving that she wanted him to stay longer with her. "Can't. We're working on his Lego competition entry tonight."

She smiled back at him. She admired how dedicated he was to his children. Not able to keep her mouth off of him, she kissed him quickly. "Okay. Just leave the money on the nightstand," she joked.

He chuckled. "I think _you'd_ be leaving _me_ money. I did all the work," he replied in jest.

She smiled against his lips. "Funny guy," she said sarcastically before pecking them again.

He moved from atop her, and she looked for her clothes and quickly dressed to walk him out. When they reached the front door, he grabbed her by the waist.

"Go on a date with me, Liv."

"We go out all the time."

"No. Not some spontaneous, convenient situation where I meet you out then force you to let me pay. A real date."

After what she'd just experienced with him, she would give him anything and do anything that he wanted.

"Fine. A real date."

"This Friday?"

"Okay," she agreed.

"Good," he stated before kissing her forehead and leaving promptly. She locked the door with a smile on her face feeling excited, yet simultaneously nervous about the prospect of going on a "real date" with him.

* * *

**AN: So this chapter is basically just smut lol! The story will move along in the next chapter. I really debated about keeping this in or waiting until later in the story. Do you all think they're moving too fast? What might their first real date look like? Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Hope you enjoyed! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Olivia was finally getting settled into her new home and absolutely loved her new environment. She invited Quinn and Abby over to help her paint her bedroom and guestroom with a couple of bottles of wine in tow. It was always great to be able to relax with them outside of the bakery. Within the last few weeks, she had grown closer to them, and she finally felt comfortable sharing aspects of her marriage with them. Abby and Quinn were intrigued by her relationship with Fitz. She hadn't shared much, but she was noticeably giddy lately.

"So have you and Karen's dad fucked?" Abby asked frankly. She was never one to beat around the bush, but the wine certainly added to her frankness.

Olivia blushed. "Oh my god! You totally have!" Quinn added.

"No! We haven't gotten that far yet. I'm not talking about this with you two." Olivia said, trying to dismiss the accusation.

"'That far yet,' so you have gotten somewhere," Abby further interrogated.

"Well Karen's dad is hot, so I don't blame you," Quinn added.

"Stop calling him Karen's dad. His name is Fitz," Olivia said.

"Well he is Karen's dad, and, Liv, she is not going to like it when she finds out about this," Quinn casually noted.

"Wait, what? How do you know this?" Olivia questioned worriedly. She certainly had no intention of upsetting Karen, especially since her and Fitz weren't that serious yet.

"Yeah. How do you know this?" Abby questioned staring intently at Quinn.

"Well apparently her mom dated her soccer coach and things ended terribly between them, and it's really awkward for her now on the team, and she said that she wished they had never dated," Quinn relayed.

"But she didn't say anything about Fitz and Liv did she?" Abby questioned.

"No. She doesn't know about you two. But she seemed really angsty and very much like a teenager when she was telling me about it," Quinn added.

Olivia felt her stomach drop. She immediately felt guilty about her and Fitz. "How did you get on that topic? Why would she you tell you this?" Olivia asked.

"She tells me a lot of stuff, Liv. I think she just feels comfortable around me. I know all about her prom plans, SAT anxiety. It's harmless really. She just vents to me sometimes when it's just the two of us working."

"Okay. Well, if she tells you anything consequential, not just about me and Fitz, you need to tell me," Olivia directed.

"Of course I will. Look, I didn't bring up the soccer coach thing to deter you, Liv. I was just saying what she told me. I think you and Fitz should really give it go. The way you smile when he's mentioned, it's sweet. And honestly, I don't think it will be a big deal to Karen if it's handled right. I promise," Quinn explained.

Olivia felt a little better upon hearing that. Before she could think about it further, her phone rang. It was her lawyer's office. She had become use to their calls, particularly at random hours. They often gave her updates on the settlement negotiations or messages from Edison. She and Edison were not speaking. Edison and Olivia had a lot of stuff left unsaid, but she was serious about only communicating through their lawyers. That didn't stop him from sending her long emails explaining how much he loved her and how he wanted to make it work. Edison was in denial regarding the matter and explained to her in many emails that he was unwilling to go through a divorce. Within the past two days, however, he had been singing a different tune, and it seemed that he was going to agree to an uncontested divorce.

Olivia answered the call in the room with Abby and Quinn nearby.

"Hey Christy," Olivia greeted.

"Hi, Olivia. I have John on the other line. I'm going to transfer you to him. He has some news about the divorce."

Within a few seconds, she heard John Hammond's voice. "Olivia."

"Hi, John what's going on? Please tell me he finally agreed," Olivia replied.

"I wish it was that simple. You are not going to believe this. I can't even believe this, but Mr. Davis is filing for an annulment."

"WHAT?" Olivia questioned feeling a sudden mix of anger and confusion.

"It's crazy. He's filing under the grounds of fraud. He claims that you married him to advance your career. He's alleged that his mother had a major role in getting you a publishing job and that he was used as both a financial and information resource for starting your bakery," John explained.

"You are fucking me, right?"

"I wish I was. I know it's crazy, and I was hoping it wouldn't have to get this messy, especially since his lawyer and I agreed on the financial terms of your divorce. You are to keep the hedge fund, you two will split the mutual fund. You will keep your respective cars. Split the sale of the house and joint bank accounts. He is to keep the beach house. We're still working on repayment for the $32,000 he took for child support."

"John, I honestly don't know what to say. I am shocked. He is…He is disgusting. I'm going to have to call him."

"No Olivia. I wouldn't do that. Just let us handle it, and we can take care of it."

"He's so full of shit. He's just trying to get my attention. I would bet money that his dumb-ass sister put this in his head. He literally sent me an email just last week begging me to take him back."

"He did?"

"Yes. That's one of at least twenty emails. And yes his mom helped me get my previous job, but that was a normal connection. I still talk to his mom. We spoke last night,"

"Send us all of the emails he has sent you since you two split. I would suggest stop talking to his mom for the time being,"

"John, I can't do that. Not right now. She's about to have surgery, and I'm going to have to see her soon."

"I would suggest minimizing as much contact as you can with his family, especially given these allegations."

He continued. "We will fight this. We have enough evidence to show that he has no grounds. This whole thing is silly and a ploy to hold us up. Don't worry about it, but we just needed you to know,"

"Okay. Thanks for telling me. Just contact me whenever you find out anything else."

She got off of the phone and relayed the conversation to Quinn and Abby. They were just as stunned as she was. They were adamant about not letting Edison ruin their evening. They spent of the rest of the night painting, joking, drinking, but mostly trying to keep Olivia's mind off of Edison.

* * *

The next morning, Abby and Olivia found themselves a little hungover, shopping in a bulk food store to purchase items for the bakery. They both hated doing this type of shopping, so they normally did it together.

"Fuck, Liv. I don't think I'm going to make it," Abby complained as they sauntered the aisles.

"This is terrible. We should have stopped at the fourth or fifth bottle," Olivia responded as she massaged her temples.

Abby pulled herself close to one of the store's large freezers, opened it, almost climbing inside, to give herself some cold air. Laughing, Olivia scolded, "Abby get of there." Olivia turned to see who was looking at her friend's antics, and as if she had seen something supernatural her face dropped and heart raced.

She turned back to Abby who was still holding the freezer door open. "Abby let's get out of here," she said seriously. Abby was alarmed by the tone of her voice and look on her face.

Abby looked around and saw a woman in a navy blue fitted pant suit pushing a shopping cart with an adorable baby girl with dark curly hair in the front of the cart. The closer the woman moved towards them, the more she recognized her as Stacey Erickson, the woman she, Quinn, and Olivia social media stalked and disparaged one dead afternoon at the bakery.

"Oh my god! Is that?" Abby started to question.

"Can we just go please?" Olivia asked as she moved away from her husband's mistress.

"No! We can't just go. I'm about to curse that bitch…"

"Abby, no. We are in public, and she has a child with her," Olivia said as she pulled her arm to leave.

Against her better judgment, Abby turned around to depart. As they moved to leave the aisle, Olivia heard Stacey's voice calling to her.

"Olivia!"

She resentfully turned around, and Stacey dashed to greet her.

"Olivia, hi." Stacey greeted nervously. Olivia didn't respond, but Stacey continued. "I'm…I'm really…" Stacey stuttered out while averting her eyes.

"Really? That's the best you can say. 'I'm really' what? Please don't say sorry," Olivia responded in a harsh tone.

"I think the word she's looking for is a' homewrecker'" Abby jumped in.

Olivia threw Abby a pointed look, letting her now to stay out of it.

"I don't know why you called after me. I'm not going to make a scene in a grocery store, but if you ever see me in public again, do not at look me and certainly do not address me," Olivia stated coldly as she moved to walk away.

"Olivia, I just want to make amends. D.C. is so small. We run in the same circles. I don't want you to hate me," Stacey said loudly.

Olivia turned back around. "Are you serious right now? You want me to make nice with you so that you're not uncomfortable in social settings? Do you want me to say, 'I forgive you for repeatedly sleeping with my husband?' 'It's okay that you stole money from my account to take care of a child that does not belong to me.' 'It's fine that you smiled in my face and pretended to like me at holiday parties and company picnics while you contributed to the end of my marriage'. Is that what you want? Because it's just not going to happen."

"Olivia that's not fair. Edison…"

Olivia, fed up with the conversation, cut her off. "Stacey, I don't blame you for me and Edison splitting up. And you don't owe me anything, but I would expect that as a woman and a person that you were _well_ acquainted with, you would respect me enough to not cross the line. You clearly didn't, you still don't, and as far as I'm concerned, we have nothing further to discuss."

"Ma-ma Ma-ma," Stacey's baby girl cried out, taking them all out of the conversation. It was the first time Olivia got a full glance of her face. She was absolutely beautiful and had the best parts of Edison and Stacey. Olivia's stomach fell further, and she knew she needed to leave. She stormed out of the aisle, and she and Abby quickly checked out, leaving the store barely muttering a word to each other. Olivia was overcome with emotion. For the rest of the afternoon, she baked and kept to herself, replaying the conversation she had with Stacey, thinking of all the things she should have said.

* * *

Olivia arrived at the bakery the next morning two hours before they opened. She was currently the only person in, so she got a head start on making their signature brownies. When she got home the previous night, she couldn't help but cry thinking about her encounter with Stacey. Seeing Edison's precious little girl gutted her. That was supposed to be her life, going grocery shopping with an adorable toddler calling her name, showing her son or daughter different types of fruits and stealing grapes for her to eat as they shopped. It was something that she really wanted and tried so desperately to have.

When Fitz called her last night, she couldn't help but be a little distant. She didn't want to tell him that she saw Edison's mistress and baby at the store because she didn't want him to think that she was stuck on Edison. She had so many conflicting emotions; she honestly contemplated canceling the date with Fitz. She didn't want to be with Edison, but seeing Stacey and their child stirred up a sense of sadness. It wasn't fair to Fitz to go out with him when her mind was preoccupied with her ex. As much as she was enjoying getting to know him, she thought maybe it was too soon to date. Maybe it was just jealousy she was feeling upon seeing Stacey and her daughter, but regardless, it hurt to see the product of Edison's betrayal, especially when it came in the form of a precious child. She was so bummed and not like herself, she cut their conversation short and requested that he give her a call the next morning, hoping she could cheer up by then.

Fitz being a person of his word gave her call during his morning commute. "Hi," she answered.

"Hi," he responded. "You feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah I am. I am sorry for getting off the phone so abruptly last night."

"That's okay. You don't have to apologize."

She sighed loudly. "Liv, you don't seem like yourself. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," she lied.

Fitz was not buying it. "I know we haven't known each other very long, but, you know, if something's the matter, anything, you can tell me," he said genuinely.

"I know," she said quietly. She knew that she could talk to him. He was such an open man, and he never seemed to judge her, but after the drunk dial, she was still hesitant to share anything related to Edison with him.

Fitz took her quietness and relatively non-talking as a sign that she was preoccupied. He tried to get off of the phone. "Okay. Well if you're busy, I'll let you go."

"No! I'm not busy…really," she said hurriedly, not wanting to get off of the phone. She decided to spill. "I've just been having a hard time with the divorce."

Fitz was immediately disappointed to hear that, thinking that she was having second thoughts about them.

As if she read his mind, she clarified. "I mean I'm not having second thoughts about getting the divorce. It's the best thing, and I want it. I really _really_ want it, but Edison is making it so hard, and I saw his mistress yesterday."

Just telling him that vague bit of information made her feel a little better. Fitz inquired further and she ended up catching him up on finding out about Edison's baby, the hedge fund withdrawals, the settlement agreement, the annulment and her conversation with Stacey.

"If my ex-wife had been cheating on me, and I ran into the guy in public, I would have punched him. I don't understand how you showed so much restraint," he commented seriously.

She chuckled. "Well we were in public and…" she was hesitant to finish. "Her daughter was with her."

Fitz could hear the hurt in her voice and didn't know what to say to make her feel better. He spoke honestly, "I hate that you're going through this, Liv. You are the last person to deserve any of this. And if our date is too much, if whatever we're doing is too much, I'll understand if you want to take a step back."

She thought about it for a moment. Even though she had considered cancelling the date, hearing him say what she was thinking made her unhappy. Her head was telling her to reconsider dating and take time to be truly single so that she could figure out all of emotions, but her heart, her gut even, was telling her to take the leap and see where things could go with Fitz. She went with her heart.

"No. That's not what I want. I don't want take a step back from you. I want…" she started then paused. "I want to go forward with you," she finished meekly. "But I understand if my…baggage is too much. If I'm too much for you right now,"

"Absolutely not, Liv. I know that this may not be the most opportune time in your life, but you are not too much. I don't consider what you're going through as baggage. I just know that talking to you and spending time with you has honestly become the best part of my day."

She smiled upon hearing that. "I can't wait to see you tomorrow," she said sweetly.

"I can't wait to see you either. Be ready by six."

"I know. I still don't understand why I have to be ready so early, but…,"

"Just go with it. It will be fun."

"Okay. Wait. What should I wear?"

"Shoes that you can dance in. Maybe a dress. I don't know. You don't have to get fancy."

"Alright. I'll call you tonight," she responded.

"Sounds good. Talk to you later."

* * *

As Olivia got ready for her date with Fitz, she had no idea what to wear. She tore through her newly organized closet and combed through all of her dresses before finally deciding on a blue, lace, sheath dress that came up slightly above her knees and nude heels. She was so nervous, and she wasn't sure why considering that she had gone out with Fitz before. Maybe it was the level of expectation that came with the label "date." She knew that she would love anything he had in mind. She set aside her nerves and finally finished getting ready. She gave herself a once over in the mirror, loving her loose-curl hair look and understated make-up. She felt confident. As she changed from her daily purse to a clutch, her doorbell rang and her stomach fluttered immediately. She opened the door and her stomach fluttered even more when she saw Fitz looking more dapper than ever.

"Hi beautiful," he stated before giving her a dozen red roses. She always took his breath away, and this time was no different. His heart beat faster just looking at her.

"Hi handsome," she replied. "You didn't have to bring these," she said as she smelled them.

He pulled her closer to him and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I did. This is what a real date looks like," he said with her still in his embrace.

"You're sweet. Let me put these in a vase," she said as she moved out of his hold and moved them from her foyer to her kitchen.

"Do you want anything to drink?" she asked as she put her flowers. away

"No. I'm good. Thanks."

"Well in that case I am ready when you are."

"Let's get out of here," he said and followed her out of the door. She locked up her place, and they held hands walking the short distance to his car.

Being his normal chivalrous self, he opened the car door for her and helped her inside.

"So where are we going?" she asked once they were both inside.

"You will see when we get there."

"Fine," she said as she started to adjust her seat. "What do you have in your CD player?" she asked.

She noticed that it was six disc changer.

"A little bit of everything."

"Do you mind?" she asked as moved to play with it.

"Not at all,"

She hit the first CD, and a children's cover of Justin Timberlake's "Suit and Tie," blared from the speakers.

She raised her eyebrow at him. "It's for Teddy. It', you know, the compilation CD for children where kids sing pop songs."

She nodded her head. "Sure. Blame it on Teddy. Don't act like you're not listening to this when you're by yourself," she joked.

He shook his head, and she changed to the next discs and was surprised at his variety of music with CDs altering from Pink Floyd to Nina Simone. She hit the last disc, and the burned copy of "Trapped in the Closet" began. They both laughed immediately.

"How do you even know this song? You don't strike me as an R. Kelly fan," she noted.

"We were working with a local nonprofit last year, and someone pitched doing parody videos of "Trapped in the Closet" for digital marketing," he explained.

Laughing, she asked, "Did you use that idea?"

"We did actually. They were pretty funny."

She kept the CD playing, and they laughed hysterically while re-listening to the songs during the drive.

Within in a few minutes, they pulled up to a dance studio, and Olivia gave him a look of intrigue. He unbuckled before explaining, "We had such a good time dancing at the park. I figured it would be fun to take a class. A swing class to be exact."

Her face lit up with excitement. "Really?" she asked.

"Yes. But if you don't want to, I also have…"

"Oh no. I _definitely_ want to. Let's do it!" she said with a huge smile. Aside from her youth, she had never taken a dance class before. It always seemed like something fun to do. She often tried to talk Edison in to taking any type of classes with her because she loved learning. He always declined. She was beyond excited to get to experience swing classes with Fitz.

When they entered, there were already three other couples in attendance. Two college aged couples and one elderly couple. She was even more excited to see the age range of people. Their instructors were a middle aged man and woman who seemed like a married couple. The instructors, Mark and Meredith, had everyone introduce themselves and began teaching the class.

"Okay. Men lead with your right foot and ladies follow with your left. Five,six,seven, eight…" she said as she and Mark demonstrated the steps.

As they began, both Fitz and Olivia were surprised by how difficult and intricate the dance was. Twenty minutes later, after a lot of laughter and a bit of confusion over choreography, the class learned the number. The instructors played Frank Sinatra's cover of 'You Do Something To Me' while the couples danced and learned the routine.

Olivia was having a ball. Fitz held her close while they twirled and Lindy Hopped together. By what may have been the tenth time hearing Frank Sinatra croon while they danced, Fitz and Olivia became accurately familiar with the music, lip-synching, "You do something to me. Something that mystifies me./Tell me why should it be. You have the power to hypnotize me," to each other as they danced. She could picture herself doing this with him often, taking classes and learning together. Before they knew it, their session ended, and it was time for them to leave.

Beaming as they departed, entering his car, "That was so fun!" she said to him.

"It was. And kind of a workout," he replied with a smile. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

"Let's go eat," he said as they drove to their dinner destination.

Fitz had arranged for them to have a private rooftop dinner at Jackson on Fifth, one of D.C.'s trendiest restaurants. They valet parked and went inside.

"I have been dying to come here," Olivia said as she took in the atmosphere. It was swanky without being pretentious and modern without being uninviting.

"Really? I think you'll like it," he said as they waited briefly for a hostess. "Mr. Grant," the young hostess said, recognizing him immediately. "Follow me," she said as she escorted them to the rooftop deck.

They made their way upstairs to the rooftop, and Olivia was completely stunned at how romantic the setting was. They had a perfect view of D.C.'s skyline, seeing the grand Washington Monument stand high and lights twinkle in the immediate distance. The weather was perfect and abnormally warm for the middle of spring. They had one table set specifically for the pair, surrounded by lanterns and red rose petals. Adjacent to their table, the rooftop was decked with plush blue and white couches and lounge seats in front of a fire pit. Soft jazz could be heard from the speaker system.

Olivia heard from word of mouth that the restaurant's rooftop was quite busy on Friday nights.

"Fitz, please tell me you didn't have them close this just for us," she said as they sat down at the dinner table.

He hesitated for a moment. "You did! You didn't have to go through all of this trouble," she said.

He got a little nervous. When he was planning their date, he thought maybe he should keep it simple. He didn't want to scare her by doing too much, but he also wanted to pull out all the stops. This was his toned down version of his original date idea.

"But I love it. It's so sweet and thoughtful," she said as she grabbed his hand across the table. She loved how special he treated her. It was different than what she was used to.

"Thank you again for the class. It was really fun," she added.

"You're welcome. I had a good time," he replied, relieved that she didn't think it was too much.

"My mom and dad use to take all types of classes together," she noted. It was the first real detail she shared about her family, so it surprised him.

He didn't want to push, but he was genuinely curious about her parents. She knew a lot about his family because they were such an instrumental part of his life. "How often do you get to speak to your mom and dad?" he asked.

"I haven't spoken to them in about a year," she said averting her eyes.

Looking back at him, she explained, "We have a weird relationship. They weren't really involved in my life as a kid. They worked a lot and, I don't know, they never showed too much of an interest in me. I always assumed they were _uninterested_ in me. They sent me to boarding school pretty early. And it wasn't until college that they realized that they probably screwed up being so hands off with me. In college, they became _horribly_ overbearing. They pushed me a lot and pressured me into doing things that I didn't want to do. They expected a lot. When I didn't meet up to those expectations, it didn't bode well. They also hated Edison, so there's that. Anyway, we've never quite mended our relationship, so I don't speak to them unless I have to."

Fitz was so close to his family. He couldn't imagine not talking to them for a year. He knew and understood the joys of family and wished Olivia could experience the same love of family. He also knew that family was deeply personal, so he kept it light. "For the record, I am very interested in you."

She smiled. "I appreciate that. For the record, I am very interested in you too," she replied.

"So what are you doing for the rest of the weekend?" she asked.

"Teddy wants to go camping, but I don't have the time," he answered, shaking his head. "So we're compromising and going to pitch a tent in the backyard."

She smiled. "That seems fun."

"Really? You don't strike me as the camping type,"

"You're notion would be a correct. I don't need a trial period of homelessness."

He laughed. "It's fun. We should go sometime. You would like it if you did it the right way,"

"I went on a camping retreat in undergrad, and it was a horrific experience."

"I'm taking you camping, and you're going to love it, Liv. We'll load up the RV, and it will be great."

"You have an RV?" she asked in surprise.

"Surprisingly, yes."

"Well that doesn't seem like real camping."

"It's totally real camping."

Bringing up Teddy made her think of Karen. "Do you think Karen will mind what's going on between us? Will it bother her? " she asked nervously. She continued, "I know there was a situation with your ex and her coach."

Fitz had thought about this often within the last few days. He knew what a hard time Karen had with Mellie and her soccer coach. He honestly thought what he shared with Olivia was different, and Karen really liked Olivia. "I don't think so. She loves you. She talks about you all the time. 'OMG Liv has the best clothes, and Liv says this and Liv says that'" he said mocking his sixteen-year-old's voice.

Olivia couldn't help but laugh at his spot on impression of his daughter. She also felt a little flattered that Karen liked her so much. He continued. "From what I understand, Mellie and Coach Anderson enjoyed a relationship of the sexual variety," he said trying to be delicate.

"So they were friends with benefits? Fuck buddies?" Olivia asked, getting more to the point.

"Yes. And naturally when things ended, it was a little messy. I think he really started to like her, but Mellie just wasn't into it."

"Yeah that is awkward,"

"To say the least. One of the other girls found out about it and told the whole team. A teammate called Mellie a slut, and it has not been an ideal situation," he explained.

"Aww. Poor Karen," Olivia sympathized.

"Needless to say what we have going is different, and Karen respects you. But don't worry. I'll talk to her, and if she has any qualms, I'll let you know and we'll go from there."

She shook her head in agreement. It was important for both of them that Karen felt comfortable at her work environment.

They enjoyed the rest of the dinner with a bottle of wine and as per usual talking about any and everything. As the night carried on, they became increasingly affectionate, moving her chair from across from him to beside him. He periodically grabbed her hand to kiss or leaned beside her to kiss her forehead.

"That was fantastic," she said as she pushed her plate away.

"Do you have room for dessert? We can have fondue by the fire pit."

She looked to the fire pit, "I don't think I can do it," she said as she placed her hand over her stomach. "But I would like to sit by the fire."

He got up from his seat, grabbed her hand and walked them to the couches in front of the fire pit. They sat down, and she cuddled up next to him, resting her head on his chest with her legs curled on the couch, wrapping her arm around his middle as they watched the embers from the blaze. He held her close, gently rubbing her side up and down. She had never felt more relaxed than in his embrace. He kissed the top of head, knowing that the connection he felt towards her was more than physical attraction. This night had confirmed his fleeting thoughts. The more time he spent with her, the more they got to know one another, he knew he was falling deeply in love with her. It should have scared him to be falling so fast, but it didn't. It felt wonderful.

Breaking their silence, "I can't say enough how perfect tonight is." she said quietly.

He loved that she was enjoying herself. He was having such a great time with her.

He looked down at her at the same time that she slightly lifted her head to look up at him. Cupping her tilted head in his hand, he nibbled her bottom lip before kissing her. He slowly fed her his tongue while grabbing her ass firmly. Wanting her closer, he pulled her to his lap, and she straddled him. She sucked on his neck and left kisses up the side of his neck to his ear. She slowly kissed back down to the base of his neck, pulling at his shirt. He was gradually losing his breath as she sucked on his skin. Wanting to feel his lips on hers, he gently pulled her head to his and urgently kissed her lips while reaching under her dress to run his hands up and down her thighs. She moaned in his mouth as she felt him reach the rim of her lace thong, twisting the material in his fingers. Her breathing was becoming staggered as he moved his large hands to massage her bare ass. They were getting carried away, and even though the rooftop was currently private, she didn't want to go too far in public.

She gave him one more deep kiss on the lips and pulled away shaking her head no with a smirk. "We can't do this here."

She got up from his lap, pulled him up, fixed her dress and tried to pull herself together. They left promptly hand-in-hand. While they waited for the valet, he couldn't help but kiss her once more. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they kissed with much fervor. A car alarm brought them back to reality, and his car arrived at the same time.

The car ride back to her home was quiet with his music playing faintly in the background. He grabbed her hand to hold as he drove. Both were unsure how the evening would end. As they arrived closer to her house, she knew that she didn't want it to end early.

When they arrived at her home, he walked her to her door, which she unlocked and then turned to face him. He kissed her sweetly at her doorstep, and she pulled away after a brief moment of his lips lingering on hers. Wanting to tease him a bit, she said, "I had such a good time tonight," as if she were wrapping their date up. "I guess call me when you get home," she said quickly.

She could see the slight disappointment in his face at her seemingly ending their night early.

"I had a good time, too. I'll call you," he said as he unwrapped his arms from her body.

Before he could her fully let go of her, she grabbed him. "I was only kidding," she said, laughing. "The look on your face," she continued through laughter.

"Hey! That's not funny," he said with a grin. "You know I only want to do what you're comfortable with."

She rubbed her noise against his noise, her lips against his lips before kissing him and pulling away. "I know, and you're so sweet for that. But I want you to come in. _Really_ want you to come in," she finished seductively. He didn't have to think twice. He reached to open the door, and she let them inside.

* * *

**AN: Thanks so much for your reviews on the last chapter. The consensus was that the pair are not moving too fast! It looks like some bom-chicka-wah-wah action in the next chapter. Maybe? So, Edison wants an annulment. Karen may have a problem with her dad dating her boss, Olivia runs into Stacey. More to come on these fronts. Thoughts on how Olivia handled Stacey? Thoughts on Olivia and Fitz's date? Thanks again for reading and reviewing! **


	10. Chapter 10

Once Olivia and Fitz were inside, she led him to her couch. They picked up where they left off at the restaurant. He sat down and pulled her to his lap. She straddled him and placed her arms around his neck. He kissed her softly before his tongue found its place in her mouth. While their tongues, caressed and twirled each others, he hiked her dress up high, past her thighs, almost revealing her underwear. He cupped her ass to bring her even closer to him. Olivia was enjoying the moment, but the glasses of wine and accompanying water she drank were catching up with her. She smiled as she kissed him, knowing she was going to have to pause their tongue play momentarily so she could relieve herself. She pulled away slightly and bit her lower lip. Fitz found her to be adorable in that moment. He moved to kiss her again, capturing her lips in his, but she pulled away after a brief moment, much to his frustration. Feeling incredibly comfortable with him, "I have to pee," she said quickly with a smile. He rested his head back on the couch and groaned. "Go pee. Hurry back," he replied.

She removed herself from his lap and used her downstairs bathroom. As he waited for her, he took her décor. It had come a long way since his last visit. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he grabbed to see who was calling. He saw that it was Karen and answered it immediately.

"Hey Karen. What's going on?"

"Daddy, it's me," he heard from the other end, and immediately recognized Teddy's little voice.

"Hey, Ted. What are you doing up?" He asked as he glanced at his watch. It was almost 10:30 and Teddy was normally fast sleep by now. The kids were with Mellie until tomorrow, so he was alarmed to hear from him this late.

Olivia came back from the bathroom and saw that Fitz was engaged in a phone conversation. She sat down on the couch quietly beside him.

Fitz listened as Teddy explained, "I had a scary dream, Dad," in the most adorable voice. Fitz put the phone on speaker so Olivia could hear his sweet son.

"You did? What happened in your dream?" Fitz asked.

"There were monsters, and they ate you and Grandma Jane and Grandpa Jim," he explained.

"That sounds scary, but buddy are monsters real?"

"No. They aren't real," he replied.

"So you don't have anything to be afraid of."

"Yeah," Teddy agreed quietly and continued. "Monsters aren't real except Aunt Samantha's wig," he explained.

Fitz and Olivia looked at each other confused, and Teddy continued. "Mommy says Aunt Sam's wig is a monster."

Fitz now understood what Teddy meant. "I think she says Aunt Sam's wig is a monstrosity," he clarified for his son. Olivia covered her mouth so that Teddy couldn't hear her laughter. Fitz was curious about Mellie's whereabouts and why she wasn't there to help him during his nightmare.

"Buddy, where is Mommy?"

"In her office working."

"And what about Jerry and Karen?"

"Jerry is somewhere with a girl. Yuck," Teddy explained dramatically. "Karen is painting her nails."

"Does she know that you have her phone?"

Teddy didn't respond. Karen always had a fit when Teddy used her phone without her permission. "No," he responded meekly.

"Teddy," Fitz started to scold him lightly.

"I know, dad. But I was scared."

"Aww" Olivia mouthed to Fitz, pouting on Teddy's behalf.

"It's okay buddy. Why don't you go tell Karen you have her phone. Then go back to your room, and I'll tell you a story,"

"Okay," Teddy replied excitedly.

Fitz and Olivia could hear him running to ask Karen if Karen if he could use her phone and then jumping in his bed. Fitz retold Teddy the story of a camping trip he had taken with his brother that had gone awry. After about fifteen minutes into the story, he knew that Teddy had probably fallen asleep. He called out to him and when Teddy didn't respond he knew he was sleeping. Fitz's story almost lulled Olivia to sleep as she rested on his shoulder with her eyes closed while he soothed his son. Fitz hung up the phone and kissed Olivia on the forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at him.

"You're such a good dad," she complimented.

He smiled back at her. "Thank you. It's easy when you have amazing kids." he replied.

He shifted them on the couch so that they were both laying down facing each other. The mood shifted dramatically and neither felt compelled to turn the passion back on. She moved to reach her remote on the coffee table and turned on the television. She turned her back towards him, and he spooned her while she flipped through channels before landing a rerun of _The Chappelle Show_.

"This show reminds me of college," she explained.

"College? You're such a baby," he said teasing her.

She turned in his arms to face him.

"A baby?" she questioned with a frown, not liking his jab at her age. "I don't think babies do this," she said as she grabbed the back of his neck and thoroughly kissed him then pulled away.

He wanted more, but she turned back around in his arms quickly and watched the show. He shook his head and watched and laughed along with her. He would periodically kiss her shoulder or the back of neck, and she'd turn slightly to plant kisses softly on his lips. The day's events started to catch up with them. Before they knew it, both of them were fast asleep on her couch.

* * *

Olivia woke the next morning still in Fitz's arms. She had gotten chilly in the middle of the night, so she got up to change out of her dress into pajamas and grabbed a blanket to throw over them. Even on a couch, she had gotten the best sleep in months in his arms. She could feel him moving behind her and his grasp around her waist tightened, so she knew he was awake. She turned to face him.

"Good morning."

"Morning," he replied groggily.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"I did actually. Amazing."

She smiled and then pouted when she checked the time it was already 9:00am. "I have to get ready for work. We've got a big wedding today."

"Yeah. I need to pick up stuff for camping."

She got off the couch and pulled him up. He went to her bathroom to get himself together and she went to her kitchen to start a kettle of tea. He entered her kitchen a few minutes later.

"Do you want anything to eat before you leave? I can make some coffee, and I have tea if you prefer."

He shook his head no. "I'm good thanks." He moved to her swiftly. "I just want this," he said as he grabbed her to kiss her urgently. She kissed him back with the same intensity. She pulled away, needing to breathe.

"I should get going," he said with his forehead pressed against hers.

She shook her head in agreement, but neither moved from their embrace. "Thanks again for last night. The next real date we have, I'm going to plan."

"I don't think that's how it works. I'm supposed to woo _you_."

She smiled at him. She sort of loved that he was a traditionalist when it came to romance, but she didn't want him to be the only one putting in effort.

"I'm planning our next date," she said as a matter-of-fact.

"Fine," he conceded.

"I know you'll be busy with the kids today so…"

"I'll call you tonight," he said without letting her finish.

She walked him to the door, and they kissed goodbye.

* * *

Olivia walked the hospital corridors with much dread and anxiety. Lorraine successfully had surgery to remove part of her cancer, and as promised, Olivia was visiting her, despite her lawyer's advice. She had called Ben before hand to figure out the best time to visit. She wanted to avoid Edison and Lisa at all costs. She entered Lorraine's room with a first edition copy of Ernest Hemingway's _A Farewell to Arms_ that she bought at auction. When she and Edison first started dating, Olivia and Lorraine quickly bonded over their love of books. When they both worked in the literary industry, their bond grew even tighter. It was nice to have someone to share a passion with. They were always recommending books for each other. When Olivia was on the fence about representing a new author, she often called Lorraine for advice. As a former critic, Lorraine had a vast collection of books. Over the past ten years, she started collecting first edition copies of novels. For birthdays and holidays, Olivia made sure to include a first edition of book in most of her gifts to her. Instead of giving her a book on her birthday, Olivia saved it for this occasion.

As soon as Lorraine saw Olivia, her face lit up.

"Baby, I'm so happy to see you."

"I'm happy to see you too," she said as she bent down to hug her gently then sat in the chair next to the bed.

"How are you feeling?"Olivia asked.

"Okay. All these medications have me feeling loopy, but I don't feel any pain, so I guess that's good."

Olivia gave Lorraine the book, and she was beyond excited to have it. Their conversation was mostly light, talking about new books they had read and happenings at Lorraine's church.

"You know I met her," Lorraine said in reference to nothing Olivia could pick up on immediately.

Olivia, entirely confused, asked, "Who?"

"My grandchild. I met her last week. Her name is Stella. Edison wanted me to meet her because you know…" she didn't finish, but Olivia knew where she was going with it. Olivia didn't know how to respond. She was incredibly surprised that Edison revealed that that he had a child to his mother, but given Lorraine's illness and the fact that his secret was out, she understood why he would.

"That's funny. I saw her last week. At the grocery store. She's beautiful," Olivia admitted even though it hurt her.

"She is and smart as a whip. She knows so many words," Lorraine beamed.

"_I would fucking hope so_," Olivia thought to herself, thinking about the hedge fund withdrawals for her childcare.

Olivia shook her head.

"I didn't bring that up to upset you."

"I know. I'm not upset." Lorraine gave her a knowing look.

"You're not broken you know. You two went to so many doctors, and they never found a problem. A baby is going to happen for you when it's supposed to with the right person. Can you imagine having a baby in the middle of this mess?"

Lorraine was always incredibly intuitive. It was almost like she was in Olivia's head since finding out about Edison's daughter. Lorraine knew that she and Edison had been trying to have a baby off and on since the second year of their marriage. They went to many specialists, and they could never find a reason for Olivia's infertility. Tired of disappointment, they stopped trying eight months ago, after a failed artificial insemination attempt, and she went back on her birth control. Stella confirmed that Edison was in fact not the problem. She questioned now more than ever, if she was capable of having her own children.

"I know. It's funny how everything has worked out. I never even thought I cared about being a mom until I couldn't have it. And now I think it about it all the time."

"Well when the time is right, and you decide you're going to try again, I don't want you obsessing over it like you have in the past. You know there are so many ways for you to have a baby, Olivia. And whichever way your children come to you, just know that _your_ children will be well taken care of." Lorraine's words stuck with Olivia. She tried to cherish every bit of advice she gave her, knowing that it wouldn't always have the chance to receive it. Even though her situation with Edison was beyond horrible, she felt so lucky to have Lorraine.

* * *

It was a little after 4:00pm when Olivia left Lorraine. She was on her to Fitz's company for a meeting with Lauren. Fitz was in a meeting outside of the office for the remainder of the day, so she wasn't expecting to see him much to her disappointment. It had been almost a week since their date, and though they talked to each other quite a bit, they didn't get the chance to see other. When she arrived to FG Advertising, she was escorted to Lauren's office, and they began working immediately.

"You are not going to believe what we nailed for you," Lauren said excitedly.

"What?" Olivia asked.

"_The Post_ wants to do another feature of you and the bakery. I know you mentioned that they did a small piece when you first opened. But this time they're really interested in your floral spring cupcakes and your new partnership with the barbecue chain."

"That's great!" Olivia said excitedly.

"Oh! I'm not done. KWLN, the news channel, wants to do a baking segment for easy baking ideas for children with you."

"What? That is awesome."

"We also have a couple of ad placements on some major bridal blogs and websites that just went up, so you'll probably get some referrals from those within the next few weeks."

Lauren continued, "And lastly, we've got a booth at the Farmer's Market for the next few Saturday mornings. Do you have a staff member who can man that for us?"

She thought about it for a moment. She assumed Quinn and Karen could probably do it. "I do. I'll get back to you on specifics."

Olivia was beyond excited to hear all of the updates from Lauren. They chatted for a bit, and before they knew it, it was already 5:15, and the office was closing.

Olivia brought Fitz's favorite red velvet cupcake. She figured she would take it in his office and put it in his mini fridge as a surprise for the next day.

She peaked her head in was completely surprised to see him seated at his desk.

"Hi" she said excitedly.

"Hi," he said as he got up from his chair to greet her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting with that law group."

"I did. It was very brief. So I figured I would come back here and catch up on some emails."

"How was your meeting with Lauren?"

"Awesome," she said and then filled him in on the upcoming projects, even though he was already familiar with what they had planned.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked her.

"No plans. You?"

"No plans. And the kids are with Mellie. No soccer games to attend. No parent teacher conferences. No school projects. Nothing."

"So what are you going to do on a school night with no kid events on the agenda?"

"Mmm I was thinking. I could make dinner with a certain someone. Maybe watch a movie."

"Yeah? And who would that certain someone be?"

He moved closer to her, grabbed her around the waist and kissed her in response.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

* * *

She followed him to a nearby grocery store where they quickly picked up ingredients for spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce. Shortly after, they made it back to his place, which was her first visit. With Fitz's kids and their activities, they hadn't gotten the chance to spend time at his place. Olivia loved this subdivision, and coincidentally, she and Edison had seriously considered purchasing a home in the neighborhood.

After a quick tour of his home, they settled into his kitchen and began preparing their meal. She went into his pantry to grab pasta and was surprised to see several bottles of ketchup. She came back with an incredulous look on her face, holding a box of noodles.

"Why do you have six bottles of ketchup?" she asked seriously and began cutting up vegetables.

"Because the four of us go through a lot of it."

She made a face of disgust.

"What? Are you like the ketchup police?" he questioned sarcastically.

"No. It just grosses me out. It's horrible."

"Ketchup? It is the best condiment. It's America's condiment. Who doesn't like ketchup?"

"I hate ketchup."

"This makes no sense. You're cutting tomatoes as we speak."

"Ketchup and tomatoes taste vastly different, mister," she said with conviction.

"What do you use with your fries?"

"Nothing."

He shook his head.

"This is a disgrace. I don't think we can get past this," he teased. "Don't tell Teddy this. He is in a phase were he has to use ketchup on everything. Last week Karen had to stop him putting ketchup on his waffles."

Somehow Olivia's dislike of ketchup spawned an entire conversation about food likes and dislikes. They both shared a distaste for seafood, though they didn't mind sushi. Fitz learned that Olivia was almost religious about popcorn. She discovered that he had seed allergies. It didn't take long before their meal was complete. They opted to sit at his kitchen table, instead of in his dining room, and they enjoyed a glass of wine with their meal. They're discussion continued and went from food to restaurants in town they wanted to try together. As they wrapped up their meal and cleared off the table, Fitz looked at Olivia seriously.

"I wish I would have brought that cupcake home. I could go for something sweet," he said.

She smiled. "I might be able to cobble something together."

He lifted his eyebrows at the prospect and grinned. "Let's see what you have here," she asked as she went to his pantry.

She came back out with a box cake mix and store bought icing.

"Well, you don't have enough ingredients to make anything from scratch, but I can work with this," she said as she moved to his fridge for ingredients. "I can't believe you're putting me to work. I thought I'd get a break until at least tomorrow morning," she joked.

She grabbed eggs and pudding, which she presumed was probably Teddy's, from the refrigerator. "Pudding?" he questioned. "Is this your secret ingredient?"

"No actually. It makes the cake moist, particularly box cakes. Pro-tip," she said with a wink.

He found cupcake pans and cupcake liners for her to use. She was surprised by the amount of baking supplies he had at his disposal.

"Is baking your secret hobby?" she asked in jest, pointing to his array of baking pans.

He chuckled. "No. But I'm a PTA dad, Liv. I'm always prepared for a bake sale," he jokingly replied.

She raised an eyebrow. "Clearly, I buy our baked goods, but, Karen, don't tell her I told you this, was a little nervous about working for you, so she bought a bunch of stuff to practice with. She and her girlfriends baked a couple of weeks ago."

Olivia smiled. She loved that Karen wanted to make a good impression. As the pair went to work scooping batter into the cupcake liners, Olivia asked, "Have you gotten a chance to talk to her?"

"I haven't. We've both been so busy. But don't worry, Liv. It won't be a problem," he responded.

She gave him a skeptical look, but left it alone. While they waited for the cupcakes to bake and cool, they sat at his island, talked and drank wine. She got creative and used resealable sandwich bags for piping the icing. She even taught Fitz a few decorative techniques. He was surprisingly good at it. He was mesmerized just watching her. It was so effortless for her, and she got so much joy out of it. As she finished up the last few cupcakes, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

He moved her hair to one side of her and kissed her shoulder. She loved the feeling, but it was not much of a distraction until he made his way up her neck with his kisses. At the same time, he moved his left hand up her stomach to her chest and cupped her breast over her shirt, giving it a firm squeeze.

"Fitz," she managed to get out in a moan. She almost done icing the cupcakes, but she knew she would never finish if he kept kissing and touching her. He continued. He crept his right hand under her shirt and squeezed her breasts through her bra. He slipped his hand inside her bra and palmed her left breast roughly. Panting, she put the bag of icing down and turned around to face him.

He kissed her, before asking, "You done icing?"

She shook her head yes and kissed him.

He broke the kiss. "Let's go up stairs," he suggested in a low voice.

She shook her head again, and he quickly led her to his bedroom. As soon as they entered the threshold, they were back at each other's mouths. With attached lips, he walked them to his bed, helping her rest on the mattress. Resting on top of her, he sucked on her neck, and she reached to grab his shirt, attempting to take it off to no avail. He moved his lips up her neck to her jaw, chin, and back to her mouth again.

Dying to feel the softness of her skin, he moved to unbutton her pants. She lifted up so that he could pull them off of her, leaving her in her underwear, which he frantically pulled off. He just as quickly removed her shirt and bra with her help. On his knees, he took a moment to take in her naked body; in his mind, he had never been with a woman as beautiful.

With a smile, she beckoned him with her index finger, wanting to feel him on top of her. He quickly obliged and leaned down, kissing each of her breasts and sucking on her pointed nipples before he kissed his way down her stomach, making his way to her center. She trembled just thinking about their last experience. When he cupped her with his hand instead of using his tongue she was surprised, but relieved to feel something soothe her ache. She thrust against his hand, and knowing that she needed some form of movement, he inserted two fingers inside of her and thumbed her clit.

"Fitz, I'm gonna come," she said breathlessly as pumped inside of her.

"I know you are, Beautiful. I want you to," he said, moving to kiss her. He continued to massage her clit with his thumb.

His fingers felt so good. She caressed her breasts, feeling an orgasm nearing quickly, as he stroked her. "FITZ" she yelled in a loop as she came.

She immediately sat up to undress him, wildly pulling off his shirt, before unbuckling his belt to get him out of his pants. He moved off of the bed slightly to take off his pants and underwear and climbed back on the bed.

She audibly gasped upon seeing him completely naked. His abs and arms were perfectly defined. His girth caused a new pool of desire, and the ache between her legs came rushing back. She was a little nervous, but her nerves were fleeting compared to her arousal. He moved to his bedside table and dug his hand around until he found a wrapper. He grabbed it and as he was opening it, and Olivia spoke.

"I'm on birth control, but if you want to be…"

He tossed the wrapper on the other side of the room, not caring to wear a condom upon hearing that. With both of them on their knees, she took him in her hand, moving it up and down his shaft. He groaned loudly, tossing his head back. With a firm grip, she caressed him then massaged the head. He knew he was on the brink of coming in her hand, but he wanted to be inside of her.

"Lie down," he directed. She did as told and laid flat on her back. He teasingly rubbed his tip at her opening, and she whimpered at the contact. It was driving her crazy.

"Fitz," she called out to him, needing him inside of her. He lowered himself on her body and slowly slid inside of her until his member was fully planted in her core. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms loosely around his neck. He moved inside of her at a glacial pace at first, savoring the moment, kissing her lips sloppily.

"Faster," she moaned in his ear. He picked up the pace, and she met his every motion, grinding into him steadily. She wasn't expecting the feeling of him inside of her to be this good. She honestly couldn't imagine that anything could top his tongue, but as they found the perfect rhythm together, she thought otherwise.

"Oh god. Yeess Yessss Fitz," she cried out to him as she clawed his back, and he worked her clit with two fingers.

"Fuck, Liv. You feel good." That was like music to her ears and eased her insecurity.

He slipped out of her wanting to move her to a new position, but before he could make a move. She flipped over quickly and positioned herself on her hands and knees on the bed.

Neither of them uttered a word. He quickly moved behind her, kissed her up and down her back, and rubbed her ass before he slipped back inside of her. She grinded on him, and he began thrusting behind her like a mad men, holding her hips tightly.

He hammered into her rapidly, and she loved every second of it. "There. Right There, Fitz," she said in a high pitched voice. Her voice, her words were doing a number on him. She was shaking and could barely keep herself up on her hands, so she rested her top half on the bed with her head down on the mattress and her ass in the air. Fitz continued into pound her and reached to stroke her clit.

"Oh god. Fitz. Fitz. So good. Soo good," she screamed as she desperately clutched the sheets with her fists. He groaned and grunted behind her. They were both sweaty and nearing an orgasm. "I'm so clo…" she couldn't finish her sentence as her orgasm hit her taking her words and breath away. All she could do was call his name breathlessly until her body settled.

With a few more thrusts inside of her, coupled with her clenching his member tightly, Fitz followed her grunting and calling her name as he came aggressively inside of her. He collapsed forward on top of her, careful not to place too much weight on her. After a moment, they adjusted. She turned on her back, and he moved beside her, staring at her beautiful face. They were left speechless. Neither Fitz nor Olivia was expecting to have such an intense experience. She figured their first time together would be clumsy and awkward, but they were completely in sync with each other. Olivia was probably the most responsive woman he had ever been with. Fitz had satisfied her like no man ever did. Wanting her closer, he pulled her to him and she rested her head on his chest and grabbed his hand to hold.

The quietness in the room was becoming unnerving.

"How you feeling?" he asked.

Though her body was feeling limber, almost lifeless, she was feeling a host of emotions. She felt even more comfortable and connected with him. In that moment, she felt like she could say anything or do anything, and he wouldn't judge her. She turned to face him.

"Honestly?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow. He moved her hair out of her face, behind her ear, and shook his head, wanting her to continue.

"Relieved," she said with a sigh. He gave her a bemused look, not knowing how to take that response. She smiled at his confusion, but clarified.

"Not relieved that it's over. I just…I just wanted it to be good for you," she said quietly.

Olivia more than surprised him. She was so confident and sure of herself in most ways. He was totally taken aback by her vulnerability.

"I don't think there was a possibility it would be bad," he said before kissing her shoulder. He continued, "Good doesn't even properly describe what that was." She gave him a weak smile.

She wasn't fishing for compliments, so she explained further, "It's just…when you're cheated on for eight months…You to start to wonder if maybe it's…"

"Baby, it's not you," he said before letting her finish, shaking his head. He hated that Edison had made her doubt herself in anyway. He wanted to tell her that he was falling in love with her and would never cheat on her, but he refrained not wanting to scare her away.

Her stomach fluttered upon hearing that. She realized that this probably wasn't the best time to confess her insecurities to him. "I'm sorry. I'm ruining it. We're supposed to be having…I don't know…sexy pillow talk right now."

"You're not ruining it. You're perfect. It was perfect," he said earnestly. She kissed him softly then pulled away, smiling at him.

"And just to show you just how perfect it was," he said as he moved from beside her to in front of her, grabbing her legs and spreading them so that he was between them.

"I'm gonna take you again," he finished in a sing-song voice.

His tone lacked any form of seduction. There was playfulness to it, and she couldn't help but laugh. Holding her legs in his forearms, he slowly slid inside of her and winked at her as she took him inch by inch. She smiled at him, not understanding how he could be silly and sexy at the same time. She also had no idea how he could be ready for another round so soon, but she certainly didn't mind. As he moved inside of her, she met his every thrust. Their smiles soon faded, and the only sounds that could be heard were their cries and moans. They spent the rest of the night, getting familiar with each other's bodies, learning each other's likes and dislikes. They fell asleep naked, comfortably wrapped up in each other.

* * *

The next morning, Fitz and Olivia woke up face-to-face with their arms around each other. They were both exhausted from the previous night.

"What time is it?" she asked still half asleep, not wanting to open her eyes.

He groaned and looked at the clock on his bedside table.

"9:30," he responded.

Her eyes popped open and sat up in bed quickly.

"Oh my god! How did we sleep so late? Shouldn't you be at work? I have to be at work in thirty minutes," she said frantically.

He pulled her back down and moved closer to her. He kissed her forehead and rubbed her side, calming her.

She smiled faintly at him, but couldn't keep her eyes open now that her head was on a pillow. She shut them and feel back asleep. When she woke an hour and a half later, she was in bed by herself. She went to bathroom to freshen up, changed into her clothes from the previous day and met Fitz downstairs. The smell of coffee and bacon wafted in the air. She noticed that he had a kettle on the stove for tea for her. She snuck up behind him, wrapping her arms around him as he cut up fruit.

"Morning," she said against his shoulder. "Sorry if I was a little worked up earlier.

He turned in her arms and smiled at her. "Do you want breakfast?"

She couldn't remember the last time someone made her breakfast. "Are you real?" she asked, pointing to the breakfast spread. "I'm starting to think you're an alien robot," she said and then kissed him.

Her phone rang. It was the bakery calling. She didn't get the chance to call them and tell them that she was running late. She didn't think it would be that big of a deal since Karen was coming in that morning because she was off from school due to a teacher workday.

She picked up immediately and assumed it was Quinn. "Hey Quinn, I'm sorry I'm running late. I'll be there within the next hour."

"Liv, it's actually Karen. I think we need you in sooner than an hour. Quinn told me to call you because some lady is here. She's talking to her now at the front of the shop."

Olivia was completely confused. "Is it a customer?"

"No. Definitely not. I don't know who she is, but Quinn says she needs you in here now."

"Okay. I'm on my way, thanks."

"I have to go. Karen just called from the bakery. Apparently a woman is there, and it seems like she may be causing an issue. I don't know."

"Wait. Why is Karen there? It's Friday. She should be at school."

"Teacher workday," she reminded him.

"That's right. I'm impressed that you could get her to come in on an off day.

"She volunteered actually," she explained with a smile. Fitz gave her a look of shock.

"Anyway, I have to run and see what this is about." She kissed him quickly. "I'll call you later," she said as she gathered her things and rushed out of the door.

* * *

**AN: So sexy time came a little later in the chapter because Teddy caused a bit of an interruption. But sexy time was had. Fitz and Olivia definitely took it to the next level. Any thoughts there? So Olivia visited Lorraine. More to come on that front. An unexpected visitor is at the bakery. Thoughts on who? It's probably not who you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

Olivia pulled into the front of her parking lot to see if she could get an idea of who their mystery guest could be. When she saw the Department of Health vehicle parked in front of the bakery, she had a definite clue of who was waiting in her establishment. Highly annoyed, she entered briskly and was met by a nervous Karen at the front of the shop.

"Hey Karen, thanks for calling me in. Are they in the back?" she asked.

She shook her head yes, and Olivia made her way to the kitchen.

"Hi," Olivia greeted both Quinn and a middle-aged health inspector.

"Hi," Quinn mouthed nervously. The health inspector looked at Olivia, gave her a smile small and went back to her task at hand, taking the temperature of their refrigerator.

Olivia addressed the inspector directly, "Ma'am, what is the nature of this inspection? We actually had a routine inspection maybe a month ago, and there was not an issue."

The inspector rolled her eyes. "Are you Mrs. Pope-Davis?"

"Yes," she replied.

"We received a couple detailed complaints about the upkeep of your bakery, particularly the kitchen area, so it was necessary for us to make a revisit."

Before Olivia arrived, the inspector had been there for the past forty-five minutes and was now wrapping up. She took the temperature of their freezer and then examined their storage closet."

The inspector walked up to Olivia. "I just need you to sign this Mrs. Pope-Davis," the inspector said as she handed Olivia a clipboard with the inspection sheet. Olivia took the clipboard and looked over the compliance checklist. She was appalled to see that her establishment received two violations. When she saw what they were for, her blood started boil.

"Ma'am. We are cited as having improper lighting. Our lighting is perfectly sufficient. We worked with the best electricians to create a specific lighting atmosphere for both the kitchen and the dining area. This has never been a problem before."

"I'm sure," the inspector said snootily. "Maybe before today your bathroom lighting wasn't almost pitch black, but today it is."

Olivia could have yanked the inspector by her gray hair. She thought about the bathroom lighting and cursed herself when she remembered that a light bulb blew yesterday evening, and no one on staff had gotten around to changing it. She rolled her eyes and moved to the next violation on the sheet.

"I don't understand why we have a citation for improper food labels. We not only label everything, we only take ingredients out of their original containers at the time of use."

The inspector pointed to their worktable where Quinn had been working before the disruption. There were small ingredient bowls which contained baking soda, salt and sugar and flour.

Olivia became defensive. "This is _**not**_ how we store our ingredients. My employee is using these ingredients for the cake she is baking at the moment. This is food prep. She has to have these out for use."

"Well they are not properly labeled. She could confuse the salt with the sugar or the flour with the baking soda. I'm assuming that's what that is. I can't tell because they aren't labeled properly," she said facetiously.

"You have got to be kidding me. First and foremost we are professionals who know the difference between salt and sugar. We work with these ingredients every single day. Second, each of these ingredient bowls vary in size and color for this specific reason."

Picking up the bowls, Olivia explained, "This big blue bowl always, and I mean always, holds flour. This medium sized bowl will, without fail, contain sugar. I don't even know why I'm explaining this, especially considering this has never been an issue here in this kitchen or during an inspection."

"Mrs. Pope-Davis, today it is. You have seven days to correct this in a follow-up visit. These are noncritical violations, so there's no reason for this attitude."

Olivia was about to tell her all the ways that she could kiss her ass, but Quinn stepped in seeing Olivia's facial expressions.

"Okay. Well we have these cleared up soon," Quinn said.

"Great," the inspector stated coldly and saw herself out of the building.

As soon as she was gone, Karen came to the kitchen and Olivia let it out. "What the fuck was that? A couple of complaints? Have any customers complained to you about the quality of food or condition of the place?" Olivia asked Karen and Quinn.

"No. Not anything major. We got an email saying our icing was too sweet a few days ago, but I haven't responded yet because it's ridiculous," Quinn explained.

"We had a lady complain about our prices being too high on Monday night, but other than that, no," Karen added.

Olivia covered her face with her hands then paced, thinking about the inspection.

"Liv, it's fine. Like she said, they're noncritical. They will have no bearings on the bakery. Honestly, I'm sure she sees far worse on a daily basis. It's a light bulb. That last infraction is bullshit, and she knows it."

"It's ridiculous. The light-bulb thing is whatever. But the ingredients? Are you fucking kidding me? There is nothing improper about that. I would imagine every kitchen in the district does something similar. What the fuck does she want us to do? Label our ingredient bowls? And seriously who the fuck called them?"

Olivia knew this wasn't a big deal, but she was annoyed to no end, not by the violations, but the person who called to complain. She needed to calm down, but first needed to delegate tasks.

"Quinn, change the light bulb in the bathroom. Also, respond to the email _**politely**_ and explain to the customer that we offer diabetic, vegan and gluten-free recipes upon request."

"Karen, use the label maker and label each of the ingredient bowls," she said in a no nonsense tone. Sarcastically, she added as she stormed to her office, "The next time someone complains about our prices to you tell them to go fuck themselves and go to Safeway where it's cheaper." She turned back around to Karen and explained with a chuckle, "Obviously, don't say that," and then went to her office.

Quinn followed her back to her office and closed the door slightly. She pointed to her attire. "Someone walk-of-shaming it to work?" she asked, grinning.

"Don't even," Olivia responded with a small smile.

"You've got that just-got-screwed glow to you." Quinn joked.

"We're not doing this today," she said, but she couldn't contain her smile. "Especially with his daughter ten feet away," Olivia replied with a whisper.

"Anyway, if anyone is teetering on a health-code violation," she said as she pointed to her attire, giving in to Quinn's suspicions, "It's me" she finished jokingly. "I need to shower. I'll be back in an hour," Olivia said before grabbing her keys and purse and heading out of the door.

* * *

Olivia went home to shower and change. On the drive to her house and while getting ready, she could not stop thinking about the inspection. The more she thought about it. The more she believed Lisa had something to do with it. At first she thought that she was being paranoid, but making a false complaint, something incredibly passive-aggressive, was right up her alley. When she thought about it further, she remembered Lisa's unexpected visit to the bakery. Lisa could have used that visit to get details about their kitchen. Olivia just couldn't understand why she would do something like that to her. She couldn't make sense of Lisa's personal vendetta. Was she really that bothered by the divorce, she wondered.

Olivia thought about taking her suspicions up with her lawyer or maybe Lisa and Edison directly. She really wanted to get to the bottom of it. Suddenly, her friend from college, Huck, popped into her mind. He had been recruited by the CIA during college. He worked with the agency for five years, before starting his own Private Investigation company. She thought about giving him a call because she was certain he could find out who made the complaints. Realizing that idea was a bit dramatic, she put it out of her mind. She was going to focus on the positive and not let the inspector ruin her day.

* * *

Later in the evening, Abby and Karen were closing up the bakery while Olivia did paperwork in her office.

Olivia left her office to part ways with her staff as they went home for the night."Karen. I can't believe you're still here, especially on a Friday night. I'm pretty sure it's not legal for you to still be here," Olivia joked.

Karen smiled. "Honestly, Liv. I love it here. It doesn't feel like work."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said with a smile.

"Okay, you two. I'll see you tomorrow." Olivia said as she headed back to her office.

"Wait. Are you not leaving with us?" Abby asked as she and Karen walked towards the front door to lock-up.

"Not if you two want to get paid on time. I shouldn't be here for more than an hour or two. Oh before you leave, Karen, are you okay to open by yourself tomorrow? Quinn will be running about twenty minutes late because she's dropping her mom off at the airport."

"That's fine, Liv," Karen said confidently. She had more than learned the ropes and was plenty capable of opening and closing. Olivia was not comfortable with letting her close by herself, because she didn't want here there at night alone.

The two left, leaving Olivia at the bakery by herself working on pay-roll and writing checks to vendors. Before she got started, she went to the kitchen to clean off the work table. She shook her head as she emptied the ingredient bowls, thinking about the violation. She noticed Karen left her cell phone on the counter, so she moved it to the worktable so that she would see it first thing in the morning. She went back to her office, and began working on payroll and bills.

She opened her invoice for FG Advertising and was confused to see that her balance was $-1,500. She double checked it, then put it aside so that she could talk to Lauren about it. She wanted to separate her business and personal relationship with Fitz, so she figured she'd only involve him if she needed to.

Barely after the moment she set the invoice aside, her cell phone rang. She was more than excited to see that it was Fitz. They had been playing phone tag all day, and she hadn't gotten the chance to speak to him since she left his house in a rush that morning.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," he replied, excited to hear her voice. "What are you doing?"

"Uh. I'm still at work. Catching up on pay-roll, paying bills. You?"

"I'm actually in the neighborhood. I'm driving back from the gym. I slept in with a certain someone and missed by morning session."

She smiled. "Don't blame me, mister. Personally, I feel like last night was plenty workout." She said in jest. "Are you on Daddy duty tonight?"

"I'm always on Daddy duty, but the kids are with Mellie tonight."

"I see." She didn't' want to be needy, but she really wanted to see him, especially since he was nearby.

"Have you had dinner yet? I could pick up something to eat and bring it to you since you're working," he offered looking for an excuse to see her.

"I have actually. The girls and I had subs from the deli next door because we had a slow night."

Using anything as an excuse to see him, she said, "Karen, left her phone here. I'm sure she might need it tonight. Maybe you can pick it up and drop it off to her."

"I could do that. The world might shatter if she doesn't send 100 texts per minute," he joked.

She laughed. It astounded her how many conversations Karen could have at once via text.

"Be there soon," he said, and they hung up the phone.

* * *

Fitz was at the bakery within five minutes. He called to let her know that he was parked at the back. She let him in using the rear entrance and greeted him with a kiss. He was incredibly gorgeous. His hair was damp from his shower at the gym. Aside from his pajamas that morning, he was dressed the most laid back she'd ever seen him wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt. He followed her to her office. She sat behind her desk, and she motioned for him to sit in the chair in front of her desk.

"How was your workout?" she asked.

"Okay. It was a light night. Just did Cardio. A couple miles on the treadmill," he said with slight disdain, which Olivia picked up on.

"What? Was it not a good run?"

"It was fine. I don't love running, but I do it because I have to." He would be forty-five this year, and he wanted to keep in great shape, particularly for his youngest son.

Olivia loved running. She loved exercising in general. "That's probably because you're doing it inside on a treadmill. That's no fun. You've got to get outside," she suggested.

He shook his head.

"You should come running with me. There's a beautiful route down the C&O canal. I love it."

He shook his head again.

"What? Are you scared I'll out run you, old man?" she asked, teasing him back for calling her a baby. In truth, their fourteen year age difference didn't bother her in the slightest. She had always gone for older men. The five year age difference she had with Edison was what first attracted her to him.

"I don't want to brag, Liv. But my 27 minute five mile and I would destroy you."

She laughed at his trash talk. Generally she could run five miles in about thirty minutes. "Is this a challenge? Because if so, I'll gladly accept. You can meet me on Sunday. 8:00am sharp."

"Okay," he agreed with a smile.

Changing topics, he asked her, "How was your day?"

"Awful," she said with a sigh and a frown then explained the inspection situation to him. Hesitantly, she admitted her suspicions of her sister-in-law's role to him, "I really think Lisa had something to do with it, but of course, there's no way to know for sure. Honestly, if it wasn't for Lorraine, you have no idea the lengths I would go through to prove it was Lisa. But I don't want to stir up any more unnecessary drama right now." She was getting worked up just telling him about it.

He could tell that she was very frustrated and conflicted about her suspicions and how to handle it.

"C'mere," he said to her, beckoning her to come closer to him.

She got up from her desk chair and sat on his lap sideways, resting her head on his shoulder. They didn't talk. They simply breathed each other in.

He leaned down to kiss her plump lips. She leaned up and held the back of his neck so that she could properly feel his tongue on hers. She pulled away after a moment.

" Despite this bullshit inspection, I couldn't stop thinking about you all day," she said to him quietly.

"Funny. Because I couldn't stop thinking about you either."

"Yeah? What were you thinking about?" she asked seductively.

"You don't want to know," he replied, but she shook her head yes.

"I could probably show you better than I could tell you."

He picked her up and set her on the edge of her desk and stood between her legs. They both knew things were about to get heated fast as their lips connected to each others. She wanted to protest, since they were in her office, but his lips moving to her neck took her out of her thoughts. He pulled away from her neck and slowly unbuttoned her oxford collared work shirt. He didn't take it off. He peered at her and licked his lips. She palmed her breasts through her black bra and moaned softly. Leaving her bra on, she took them out of the cups, and he dove straight to her chest, sucking on each hard nipple then moved back to her lush lips.

His sweats gave her easy access. She reached her hand inside and massaged his length. Wanting to see what she deemed the most beautiful cock, she broke the kiss and hastily pulled his pants down, and they fell to his ankles. Her mouth salivated just looking at him. She had the strongest of desires to taste him, something she almost never did with previous partners. Before she could think about it further, he unbuttoned her pants, and yanked them off. She sat before him in an open oxford shirt, her breasts hanging out her bra and solid pink boy shorts. Extraordinarily hard, he took his member out of her hand and rubbed her though her underwear. He reached inside with his index and middle fingers to massage her clit. She moaned, panted, and could not keep still on the desk. He pulled her panties off slowly and slung them across her office.

The previous night, he learned that he loved the sound of her begging him and talking dirty in his ear. He thought about it all day and wanted to hear it now. She too learned what the sound of her voice did to him. He would speed up with every whimper, moan and plea she made. He'd go deeper with every naughty statement that left her tongue.

He rubbed his length up and down her wet slit. She pulled him closer and wrapped on arm around his shoulder tightly as he teased her. "Please, baby," she whispered in his ear. "Please."

"Please what?" he asked as he continued to rub his length mercilessly against her core.

"I want to feel you inside of me. It's all I could think about all day. You inside of me," she whined out. She couldn't believe what he could get her to admit aloud. Neither could she believe how much she wanted him.

He smiled and slowly gave her inch by inch of him until he was immersed deep inside of her. She moaned as he filled her. She grabbed his bare ass to bring him closer to her and grinded on him. He finally began to thrust and it was like bliss for both of them.

"Fitz god," she whispered in his ear as he moved inside of her.

He hit her spot over and over again, and her soft whispers turned into desperate cries.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. It feels so good. Oh my god," she yelled, hitting the desk with an open palm.

"Beautiful, you feel too fucking good. It's so fucking tight," he said breathlessly against her neck.

Her cries were growing so loud and his grunts and groans so boisterous, they didn't hear the entrance bell.

As he hammered into Olivia, Karen, who had let herself inside to grab her forgotten cell phone, used the front entrance to make her way from the dining area to the kitchen. As Karen stepped closer to the kitchen, she heard Olivia screaming and immediately became alarmed. She rushed to Olivia's office towards the commotion, and her heart dropped at the sight of Olivia with a man between her parted legs. Her eyes were tightly shut, with one arm wrapped firmly around his shoulder, while the other arm rested low on his body, gripping his bare ass.

"OH MY GOD!" Karen screamed at the sight, becoming completely flustered.

Olivia's eyes popped open "KAREN!" she screamed. Fitz, still planted inside Olivia, turned his head around swiftly upon hearing Olivia's shout.

"DAD!?" Karen yelled in utter shock, covered her eyes and sprinted out of the bakery.

Olivia and Fitz were both completely disoriented. Not speaking a word to each other, she pushed him away from her and pulled her shirt together to cover her exposed chest. He pulled up his pants from his ankles and rushed out of Olivia's office through the kitchen, past the dining area, to run after Karen. Olivia found her pants and underwear, put them on and ran towards the front of the bakery, haphazardly buttoning her shirt in the process. They were too late. Karen was in her car and drove away rapidly.

Everything was happening so fast. It wasn't until the moment they saw Karen drive away that they both processed what just happened. Olivia's eyes watered immediately. "Oh my fucking god," she said to him.

"I can't believe that just happened," he shook his head incredulously. "What the fuck was she doing here?"

Olivia let out a huge sigh and rubbed her temples and paced. "Her phone probably."

"Fuck!" he said as he tried to figure out the best move. They were both frustrated and mortified.

"She's probably going home. I should probably meet her at Mellie's" he said looking to Olivia. She shook her head in agreement.

Olivia was becoming more of a wreck as the reality set in that she had just been caught having sex with her employee's father. She tried to hold back her tears of frustration.

He went back to Olivia's office while she paced the kitchen to grab his keys. "I need to go. I'll call you when I hear from her" he said hastily and left.

* * *

Fitz gave Mellie a call on the drive to her home.

"Hello?" she answered right away.

"Hey Mel, it's me."

"Has Karen got back yet?" he asked, trying to act nonchalant.

"No. I was just about to call you. She should have been here by now. I've been texting her. I thought maybe she decided to stay at your place for the night."

He sighed. "Okay. I'm on my way to your house now."

"What? Why? Fitz, what the hell is going on? Is she okay?"

"I just saw her. She caught me with her boss."

"Fitz what are you talking about?"

He decided to give her a quick summation of what happened, explaining, "I've been dating her boss. Karen forgot her phone at work. I guess she came back to get it, and she caught us together." Fitz said in a breath.

"What do you mean caught you together? Did she catch you screwing her boss?"

"More or less. She tore out of there. And I just need to know that she's okay."

"Oh my god! Fitz, really? Of course she's not okay," she said sternly, but then she chuckled a little, which turned into full blown laughter.

"Mellie this is not fucking funny."

"It's a little funny," she said laughing hysterically.

She continued. "Looks like you're the bad parent this time. You just got knocked off the pedestal."

"Do you have to be so petty right now?" he questioned harshly.

"Fitz, calm down. Remember when she caught us in the bathroom?"

Fitz shook his head as if Mellie could see him through the phone, thinking about the time Karen caught the two of them in the shower. "She was five, Mellie. She had no idea what was going on and probably doesn't even remember.

"Wait. She's pulling up now," Mellie said as she saw Karen's car in the driveway.

Fitz breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm almost there."

"Fitz, you might as well turn around. I'm not dealing with the screaming and crying match that's about to ensue once she sees you in my house. Teddy is sleeping, and you two will not wake him. Give her some time to cool off. You can come here in the morning."

He knew Mellie was right about letting Karen cool off.

"You know she's not working for her anymore. I won't allow it," Mellie said seriously.

"You're not serious. So it's okay that she stays on the soccer team with a man that you were just casually screwing? But heaven forbid she continue employment with a woman I actually have feelings for. That is her choice. It is between her and Olivia. That's not fair to her."

"Soccer looks good on her college applications. Working at a bakery is a waste of time."

"Mellie, we're not doing this. You're not using this as a ploy to stop her from working. If it's not with Olivia, it will be somewhere else. Just please call me if you have any trouble with her tonight. I'll be there first thing in the morning."

"Fine, but, Fitz, settle down. She didn't catch you murdering someone. She's not the first kid to catch her parents fucking."

Hearing her say that made him cringe. "I have traumatized our poor little girl," he said with a chuckle, finding perverse humor out of the situation.

"I'll handle it tonight, and I'll see you in the morning. Honestly, I can't wait to see this awkwardness play out."

"Bye, Mellie," he said and hung up the phone. As soon as he was off of the phone with Mellie, he called Olivia to let her know that Karen was home safe and that he planned to talk to her in the morning, but Olivia didn't answer the phone. He turned around to head home, feeling unsettled having not resolved anything with Karen or spoken to Olivia. He drove home, driving slower than usual, in silence thinking of the best way to keep this mess from turning into a disaster.

* * *

**AN: There were some great guesses in the reviews, but it was the health inspector, which Lisa may or may not have had a hand in. More to come there. I have to say, I love reading your reviews, and sometimes they help me write the story. Although I sort of know where I'm going with the plot, I'm mostly writing on the fly and take your reviews into account as I write. stephaniekidd wanted their ages to be a bit clearer, so I made that is more explicit in this chapter. **

**So the biggie in this chapter is that Karen catches Fitz and Olivia. Talk about awkward sauce. I have gone two and half decades without ever catching my parental units in the act, and sweet Lord, if I did, I would die a thousand deaths. Next chapter, we will see how Fitz and Olivia handle it. Thoughts on that front? If you've ever caught your parents in the act/children caught you in the act, use the reviews as your therapy lol! Also, Mellie has a role in this chapter. In terms of her characterization, I'm using a middle ground with cannon, which is to say, she will be bitchy, but fun bitchy. I don't foresee that this story will have much of her, but who knows. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! :) **


	12. Chapter 12

As promised, Fitz showed up at Mellie's house the next morning. The family used a joint calendar on their phones and iPads so that they could keep up with each other's agenda. From the calendar, he knew that Teddy was having a play date with a friend after lunch, Jerry was out of town for a track meet and Karen was slated to open the bakery at 10:00am. He showed up at 8:00 to give them enough time to talk. He was unbelievably nervous about how to handle it. Knowing that he had upset Karen, or even the idea that he could damage her in any way, broke his heart, and he couldn't take the thought of it. He thought about the situation a lot the night before, and he decided that he was just going to be honest and explain to Karen how he felt about Olivia. He hoped and even prayed that she would take it okay. He took a deep breath as he waited for Mellie to answer the door. She greeted him in hair rollers and a robe with a smirk on her face.

"It's the man of the hour," she said sarcastically.

"Mellie, please," he stated not in the mood for antics.

"She's in the kitchen eating breakfast. Just a warning, she is pissed."

Fitz sighed. "How bad is it?" he asked, trying to gauge her mood.

"I tried to talk to her last night, and she just slammed her door shut and wouldn't let me in, so I don't know."

"Mel, I need to talk to her alone."

Mellie rolled her eyes, wanting a show, but understood that they needed privacy. "Fine. I'll be in my room. But Teddy is eating too, so you're going to have to wait til he's done or find him something to do with him."

"Okay," he said, prepared to talk his daughter. He had never been more scared to converse with a sixteen year old.

He walked in the kitchen, and both Karen and Teddy were in the sitting at the table eating oatmeal and fruit.

"Morning," he greeted his children with a smile. Teddy's face lit up upon seeing him.

"Daddy!" he yelled. "What are you doing here?" he asked with a confused look on his face. "Mommy said that I wouldn't see you 'til after I played with Spencer, but I haven't played with Spencer yet."

"Hey buddy," he said moving to his son to pick him up. "I'm a little early to talk to your sister, but I'll pick you up from Spencer's later," he explained. "Hey, why don't you eat your oatmeal while you watch TV?" Teddy's face was full of excitement. He was never allowed to watch TV and eat. Fitz carried him with his bowl of oatmeal to the living room, which was adjacent to the kitchen, so that he could talk to Karen alone.

He came back to the kitchen to face Karen. She wouldn't look at him. She pretended to read Mellie's newspaper.

"Karen," he said trying to get her to look at him, but she ignored him.

"Karen, I just wanted to talk about last night."

She huffed loudly and rolled her eyes. "Well there goes my breakfast," she said pushing her food away from her, feigning to have her lost appetite.

"Karen, please. I am so sorry about what you saw. I'm so embarrassed and it was…"

"Dad. I don't want to talk about it," she said sternly, interrupting him.

"I know, but Karen it's not what it looked like."

She gave him an angry look.

"I don't want to talk about it or think about it."

"I just want to clear the air. You're supposed to be going to the bakery in two hours, but if you're not comfortable going in right now, then you need to call Olivia and let her know."

"You can call her since you're so familiar with her," she said harshly.

"Karen I know you're upset, but can you drop the attitude? I just want to talk to you."

"What is there to talk about, dad? I heard Olivia screaming like an ax murderer was attacking her and walk in only to see your BARE ASS, so excuse me if speaking to you isn't high on my list of things to do this morning," she said raising her voice.

Teddy heard her curse from the living room, but had no idea the context of the conversation and yelled, "OOOH KAREN SAID ASS."

"TEDDY, SETTLE DOWN," Fitz yelled back in frustration.

"Karen, watch your language," Fitz responded firmly.

"Listen, Karen," he continued and took a seat beside her. "I just want to apologize. Neither of us want to rehash the details, but I am really sorry. I know you're confused about the nature of my relationship with Olivia and why we were even in the bakery. I want to be honest with you and say…" he hesitated for a moment trying to find the right words, but Karen jumped in again.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Karen asked.

He sighed. "I don't know how to answer that. No technically. You know she just split from her husband, and it's really complicated. I want to be with her, but…"

Karen started to get teary eyed. She interrupted again, not fully understanding Fitz and Olivia's relationship and replied, "You said, you and mom both said, that if you get boyfriends or girlfriends you would talk to us first because we're, and I quote, 'your first priority,' but neither of you have done that. You just sleep with people, and you don't care how it affects us."

"I know that's what it seems like, but it's not like that. I have very strong feelings for Olivia. And I don't know...It feels like something special and good. And I think…I think...This may sound crazy, but I think I love her," he admitted for the first time out loud. "And we didn't tell you about us because we're not sure what we are to each other. I promise you were the first person I was going to tell."

"Is that why I got the job? Because you're screwing her? Is that why she pretended to like me?"

"Karen, absolutely not! She offered you the job because she loved your personality from the first day she met you. She's not pretending to like you. She _really_ does like you, I promise. She thinks you're smart and have an amazing personality."

"God, between Olivia and Coach Anderson, I honestly feel like you and mom just had children so that you could use us to hook up with people." She threw her hands up. "'Oh look! It's Karen's open house. Guess I'll find a teacher to take as my wedding date.' 'Is Karen hanging out with a new friend? I hope they have a single dad?'" she said, mocking both of her parents' voices. "It's gross!"she declared.

Fitz tried not to laugh at Karen's statement and dramatics.

"Well, dad. I'm glad you found love," she said sarcastically. "I just wish it wasn't with my boss because now I can't work there anymore."

"I understand that you may feel that way, but Olivia still wants you there. You don't have to quit because of this."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you think I want to work there? I'm not going back there," she said seriously. He was almost certain that she would change her mind. She said the same thing when she found out about Mellie and Coach Anderson, but he didn't want to push it.

"I think you should think about it for a little bit before you make a decision."

Karen didn't respond. Despite all that transpired, she still didn't have her cell phone. She jetted out of the bakery and completely forgot her reason for coming. Fitz, also in a tizzy, did not grab it on his way to Mellie's.

"Can you please go by there and get my phone?" she asked, growing tired of the conversation.

"I think you should, Karen. If you're not going to work there, you need to tell her yourself. This is what it means to have the responsibilities of a job. Normally, you should give at least two weeks notice before quitting a job, but given the circumstances, Olivia will understand why you can't. Regardless, you need to tell her yourself that you can no longer work there."

Karen rolled her eyes. She knew he wouldn't budge about giving proper notice before quitting and getting the phone.

"Fine," she said in huff and got up from her chair and rushed up the stairs. Fitz didn't expect the conversation to go great, but he didn't think it would be that unproductive. He promptly left Mellie's feeling a host of disappointment.

* * *

Olivia unlocked the doors to the bakery and felt immediate guilt upon entering the threshold. She figured Karen would not come to open the shop, so she came to do it herself. She could not believe that she and Fitz got so carried away in her office. She couldn't think of anything more inappropriate. As a leader, Olivia felt like she felt like set the worst example. Embarrassed didn't even begin to subscribe how she felt. She really hoped that Karen would continue to work at the bakery, but completely understood if she never saw her again. She hated that she may have caused any discord in their family. The amount of guilt and embarrassment she felt hampered her ability to talk to Fitz. He called twice the night before and once that morning, but she was not ready to talk to him. She questioned whether it was appropriate to continue to see him, especially if Karen decided to continue working for her. She just needed sometime to figure everything out.

Olivia grabbed the ingredients bowls filled them with contents and then placed them on the table to get started to on cookies and cream cupcakes for the display counter. She came out of the storage closet and was met by Quinn who had promptly returned from the airport.

"Hey, Liv," Quinn said causally as she washed her hands and put on an apron.

Olivia gave her a forced smile in return.

"Rough morning?" Quinn asked, picking up on Liv's demeanor.

"You could say that." Olivia responded with a sigh. She opted not to tell Quinn about last night's events not wanting to relive it.

Quinn realized that Olivia was there instead of Karen and asked, "What are you even doing here? I thought Karen was supposed to open." Before Olivia could answer, Quinn pointed to Karen's phone and asked, "Oh wait. Is she here? Her phone's here."

"She left it last night. I don't think she'll be in today," Olivia replied. Quinn could tell by Olivia's tone of voice not to inquire further.

Olivia, needing some space to figure out what to say to both Fitz and Karen, went to her office to think. After mulling over what to say to Karen if she decided to work for her again, she sent Fitz a text reading, "**Sorry. I'm not ignoring you. Just needed time to think**."

He responded quickly, _"That's okay. Just calling to let you know that Karen wouldn't be there to open. She'll be in later to pick up her phone_."

Wanting to avoid an awkward situation, she offered, "**I can drop it off. I'm sure I'm the last person she wants to see right now."**

"_Trust me, I'm__ the last person. She's never been so angry with me."_

"**I'm sorry. I wish I hadn't put you in this position."**

"_Don't be sorry. It was just wrong place, wrong time."_

"**The worst place. Horrendous time," she corrected. **

"_Does it make me an awful person/dad if I admitted that it wouldn't have been so bad, if we got to finish? I mean we were at the finish line_."

"**Yes lol," she responded rapidly. **

"_When can I see you?"_

As Olivia was about to respond, she heard Quinn talking to someone in the kitchen. At first she thought it was Abby, so she ignored it and started typing, "_Maybe toni_-," but when she heard Karen's voice, she placed her phone on her desk without finishing the message to get up and greet her.

* * *

On the drive to the bakery, Karen thought a lot about what to say to Olivia. The more she thought about quitting, the more she hated the idea. Although it sucked and completely grossed her out to catch her dad in the act, she still really admired Olivia. When Fitz admitted that he might love Olivia, Karen was totally surprised. Although her mom had become something of a serial dater since the divorce, her dad rarely went on dates. Even though she was completely thrown off by Olivia having any form of a relationship with her dad, she and Jerry both noticed that he was more chipper and relaxed within the last few weeks. And when she thought back to the time in the park, and the way the pair flirted, it made complete sense that the two developed feelings for each other. Karen came to the realization that if Olivia had anything to do with her father's high spirits, then maybe their relationship, or whatever they had going, wasn't a bad thing.

* * *

"Karen," Olivia said, not able to hide the shock in her voice. Karen was not dressed in work clothes, and Olivia took that as a sign that she probably wouldn't be seeing her again for a while.

"Hi, Liv," Karen replied in a less than chipper voice. She grabbed her phone and stood by the worktable checking her missed calls and messages.

"Karen, can I talk to you in my office?" Olivia asked nervously.

"Yeah. That's why I am here actually."

Olivia's stomach dropped, thinking Karen was coming to the bakery to quit. She was so mad at herself for putting a teenager in such an awkward position.

Olivia ushered Karen into her office, closed the door, motioned for her to take a seat, and started the conversation.

"I just have to apologize. I am so sorry for last night. As your boss, that behavior was completely inappropriate, and that type of action is unacceptable in the workplace."

Karen didn't say anything, so Olivia continued. "On a personal level, Karen, we should have been honest about the nature of our relationship. That was not the way we wanted you to find out."

"Honestly, Liv, the less we talk about it the better," she said, wanting to get last night's memory out of her head. "I just want to say that I am sorry for not coming in at the start of my shift because I know that you don't condone tardiness. I also wanted to know if it's okay if I take the rest of the day off," she asked, sheepishly staring down at her feet.

Olivia was completely shocked that Karen wasn't quitting and equally shocked that Karen was apologizing for lateness. She couldn't believe how mature she was handling this.

"Honey, you don't have to apologize for coming in late after last night. I am surprised to even see you at all, and I wouldn't blame you if didn't come in today. Of course, you can have the day off. You can have next week off too, if you need it. I'm just thrilled you want to stay."

"I really love working here, and I love working with Abby and Quinn and helping customers. Plus dad doesn't yell at me anymore for shopping now that I have a job," she said with a smile.

"We love having you here. And like I said, Karen, your father and I wanted to tell you. We were just waiting for a good time."

"It's fine, Liv. I am not mad that you two are together. Obviously, I'm a little surprised, but I'm not mad. I couldn't be mad even if I wanted to. God, he, like, loves you," she said offhandedly, not realizing that Fitz and Olivia hadn't admitted those types of feelings to each other.

Olivia honestly didn't think much of the last comment, thinking Karen was overstating Fitz's feelings, but Karen continued. "He just went on and on about how much he cares about you and that he might love you, and I don't know, I think it's good for him. You're good for him."

This time Olivia was more cognizant of what Karen had relayed about Fitz's feelings. Her heart raced at the idea that Fitz could love her, that he told his daughter that he loved her. Olivia could feel herself becoming flustered in Karen's presence, so she wrapped up the conversation politely.

"I care a lot about him too," she said nicely, not knowing how to follow up with what Karen communicated about her father. "And I'm so relieved we get to keep you on staff," she said as she got out of her seat. Even though she wasn't much of a hugger, she embraced Karen "I'm sorry again, and I'll see you next week."

"Okay." Karen agreed before pulling away. Karen spoke to Quinn for a bit then left shortly after.

* * *

Olivia went back to her office and stared at her phone. She deleted the beginnings of the message she was about to send to Fitz. The idea that Fitz could possibly love her threw her for a loop. She hadn't allowed herself to get that invested emotionally with him. She absolutely cared about him and wanted to be with him, but she wasn't sure that she loved him or even possibly loved. The idea of loving another man scared her beyond words. Almost every person, including her parents, who told her they loved her, disappointed her and hurt her in some way. She was nervous by just the thought of being hurt by Fitz. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle the devastation of someone else breaking her heart. She thought about her future and falling in love again. More than she would have liked to admit, she could see herself loving him. She could see them being truly happy for a lifetime, but she also realized that there was a time when she could see the same thing with Edison.

The prospect of being in love with Fitz and then to have that love ripped away by some unconscionable act or a change of heart frightened her, so she was resigned to not allow herself to go as far as loving him. She could like him a lot, she could care about him a great deal, but she couldn't love him. She couldn't bring herself to text him back. Her thoughts and feelings about him paralyzed her to the point that she now seriously doubted if she wanted to communicate with him further.

Fitz called her a few minutes before the bakery was slated to close, but she ignored the call. He sent her a text reading, "**Wow! I'm not sure what you said to Karen, but she just apologized for her attitude earlier and said that she's going to continue working. :)"** She didn't respond back. She wasn't sure when she would be ready to talk to Fitz, but she was certain that tonight was not the night.

* * *

It was 6:30am Sunday, morning and Fitz found himself in his kitchen, making a pot of coffee and reading the paper on his iPad. Fitz had a hard time sleeping the night before, and it was undoubtedly because Olivia was ignoring him. They hadn't even talked, and he could feel her pulling away. He understood that Karen catching them was upsetting, but he honestly couldn't fathom why she would be so upset to the point of icing him out.

Surprisingly, as he prepared his coffee, Karen came down the stairs. It being a weekend, the kids were supposed to be with him. He had been with Teddy since Saturday afternoon, and Jerry came home from his track meet late in the evening, but Karen opted to hang with her girlfriends most of the day. It was the first time he had seen her since their chat the previous morning.

"Morning, Kar. What time did you get in last night?"

"If I say before curfew, will you believe me?"

He smiled. Still feeling guilty, he let her off the hook for presumably coming home late.

"Why are you up so early?" he asked.

"I have to finish that History project. It's due tomorrow, and I've barely started."

"Karen, c'mon. We've talked about this procrastination."

"Dad, it will get done. I will make an A on it, and you know it. I've been busy working."

He didn't say anything because he was happy that she decided to keep her job.

"Anyway, have you talked to Olivia?" she asked out of general curiosity. She was interested to know how often they talked. She was still a little out in the dark about their relationship.

"No. I haven't surprisingly," he replied with a hint of disappointment.

He was curious about how their conversation went yesterday. Since Olivia wasn't talking to him, and aside from the text Karen sent him yesterday, he had no clue how their chat went. "So what happened yesterday when you went to her office?" he asked.

"Not much. She apologized. I told her it was fine. I told her that I wasn't mad because you love her, and I want you to be happy."

His heart raced upon hearing Karen and Olivia's conversation. He was simultaneously relieved and happy to have Karen's approval, but was panicked that she shared his feelings with Olivia. Clarifying, he asked, "You told her that I love her?"

"I don't know dad. I just told her what you told me," she said, not understanding the enormity of her words.

Trying to downplay her actions, he didn't mention it further, "Well, I'm just glad you're still working there," he said with a smile. "I'm going to get a head start on some work," he said as he went to his office.

Now realizing what Karen said to Olivia, he had an idea as to why Olivia probably wasn't speaking to him. He couldn't even be frustrated with Karen because what she relayed was the truth, but he wished he could have told her in his own time, when he was sure of his feelings and Olivia was sure of hers. He figured he would give Olivia space to think. He certainly had no intentions of scaring her away. He then remembered their run in the park. They were sort of joking and hadn't talked about it since the night Karen caught them together, but he figured he would go to the C&O canal anyway. Even if she didn't show up, he figured he would take her advice and run on a scenic route to make running more enjoyable.

* * *

It was almost 8:00am, and Olivia was parking for her morning run. She was surprised and nervous to see Fitz in the spot next to hers. She honestly could have gone another day without talking to him because she had no intentions of calling him. She thought that if she ignored him enough, her feelings would go away, and she could disregard the fact that she was falling for him. Now she was forced to see him and forced to confront her feelings.

It was hard to ignore how she felt about him when he was standing before her looking as handsome as ever in running shorts and fitted t-shirt. It was difficult to ignore that he made her heart melt, when he was giving her the most charming of charming smiles. She couldn't ignore the butterflies she felt when he said, "Good morning, Beautiful," and sincerely meant it without flattery. She certainly couldn't disregard the fact that her heart skipped a beat when he offered a hand to hold or how she felt a spark upon the touching of their palms and the intertwining of their fingers.

Hand-in-hand, they walked to the start of the trail in silence, simply taking in the beauty of the route. It was the perfect way to start a Sunday.

"So five miles? Less than thirty minutes?" he asked, confirming their challenge.

She bit her bottom lip and shook her head yes.

"You wore those shorts to distract me," he said jokingly taking in the tiny, formfitting, light blue running shorts and gray racer back running tank top she was wearing.

"Honestly, I didn't even think you would remember," she replied. "Ready?" She asked with a smile.

He shook his head yes, and they started on their run. For the first two miles, Olivia trailed ahead much to Fitz's liking, loving to see the bottom of her ass peak through her shorts with each stride. It was the best distraction. By mile three, however, she started to lag behind.

Twenty-seven minutes into it, they were almost done with a few feet left in their trail. Olivia, being a competitive person, was slightly disappointed that Fitz was beating her, but excited to be completing a personal best five mile. Suddenly, with just a few feet left in their run, Fitz stopped running and bent over. She became alarmed, thinking that he had hurt himself. She picked up her pace to catch up to him.

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly, jogging in place, not wanting to loser her stamina.

"Perfect," he said, grinning. He grabbed her hand, and Olivia smiled, realizing that he wanted to end their run together. They held hands, running at a much slower pace, as they completed the last few feet of their five mile journey, ending in 29 minutes. As soon as they crossed the five mile marker, he gathered her in his arms, not caring that they were both sweaty and out of breath. He looked down at her and smiled.

"I figured we needed to cross some sort of finish line together," he said jokingly, referencing his text and the situation with Karen.

She smiled hard back at him then leaned up to give him a series of sweet kisses where only their lips met. If falling in love felt this good, if loving Fitz meant feeling everlasting bliss and butterflies, if being with him meant having a partner that was extraordinarily supportive and always made her laugh, then she was willing to go all in. She was not going to stand in her own way.

* * *

**AN: The comments y'all left about catching your parents or having your children catch you, made me laugh unbelievably hard. I'm sorry it had to be y'all, but I'm just so grateful it hasn't been me lol. **

**So Karen handled it maturely. Olivia had a moment of fear of falling in love, but seems to open to taking it further with Fitz. The Lisa/Edison/Lorraine/Stacey situation will develop more in the next chapter. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

It had been two weeks since Karen caught Fitz and Olivia at the bakery, and during those fourteen days, Fitz and Olivia spent almost every minute that they weren't working with each other. It was so different than what Olivia was used to. Even in the beginning of her marriage with Edison, when they were happy and incredibly in love, they didn't spend an excessive amount of time with each other. Both were so career driven that it wasn't uncommon for them to go a couple of days without any meaningful conversations. If work allowed, they could go days without seeing each other. That was their normal, and that was what Olivia had grown accustomed to. Now, she couldn't imagine going a day without speaking to Fitz.

Since the kids were with Mellie for the week, she had spent the last five days with him in his home. It was completely unplanned, but every night she would come over after work to have dinner, watch a movie or a television show and then never make it back to her house. He absolutely didn't mind. He'd use any excuse to convince her to stay. This particular night he used traffic caused by a Presidential motorcade as an excuse for her to stay at his home. She gave in after he listed all the ways that it would be more productive for her to stay with him than sitting in unnecessary traffic. After a shared shower, Olivia waited for Fitz in one of his oversized shirts and gray cheeky lace panties that she'd left in one of his drawers. Her hair was down in her natural curls while she waited for Fitz to return from downstairs to set the alarm and to bring her a glass of water. He came back up and set the cold glass of water on the nightstand closest to her.

"Thanks," she said as she took a sip.

"You're welcome," he replied while taking off his pajama bottoms and underwear. Fitz had a penchant for sleeping in the nude. Another habit, Olivia was just not use to. Being a gentleman and the hospitable person he was, the past few nights she stayed with him, Fitz wore pajama pants knowing that she was not a nude sleeper. Tonight, however, he did not want to.

"I still don't understand how you sleep naked so frequently."

"Easy. First I remove my pants then I take off…" he started sarcastically.

"Ha. Ha. You know what I mean," she replied without letting him finish.

"You should try it, Liv. It's so comfortable."

"I have tried and almost every time, I get too cold."

"That's because you insist that we use that thing," pointing to the ceiling fan that she made sure was on the highest setting.

"I can't help it. It's relaxing."

"And so is sleeping nude."

She shook her head.

"You should try it," he urged once more.

"Fitz, you know I've slept without clothes before," she said smiling.

"Yeah, but that's only because I wear you out, and you're too tired to put on PJs. You eventually grab my shirt at some point in the night, so it doesn't count."

She smiled and shook her head at him again. He got in bed and lay close to her, wrapping his arms low around her waist.

"Just do it," he said softly.

She shook her head no.

"C'mon. It will feel good," he as said as if he were offering her some sort of illicit drug.

"Stop peer pressuring me," she joked.

He lifted up her shirt past her underwear to expose a smidgen of her lower stomach and pulled her closer so that she could feel more of her skin on his.

She couldn't deny how amazing it felt to be skin to skin with him, even when they weren't in the throes of passion. She moved away from him slightly and sat up so that she could take off her shirt. She slowly lifted it from the bottom and tossed it to him. He moaned at the sight her topless, as if he hadn't just seen her wet naked body moments prior in the shower. She took off her underwear quickly, threw them on the floor and cuddled up close to him. She rested her head on his chest.

"Happy?" she asked.

"Very," he said before kissing her the top of her head. He could feel the goose bumps from the chill of the room rise on her body. He wrapped his arms around her tighter, and she instinctively held him close around his mid section. "I'll keep you warm, baby. Promise," he said quietly.

She kissed his chest, smiled at him, then rested her head back on his chest. "You better," she responded just as softly.

As they were both dozing off, his cell phone vibrated on his bedside table. He grabbed it just in case it was one of the kids, but smiled when he saw that it was an email from his brother. He opened it immediately and laughed while reading, **"Hey faux Don Drapper, bring out the hookers and blow. I've got a last minute work trip on the east coast, so I'll be in your neck of the woods ****tomorrow**."

His laughter reverberating through his chest was enough to keep her from sleeping.

"What's so funny?"

"My brother. He's a nut," he replied while handing her the phone so that she could read the message herself.

She smiled and handed it back to him. She heard a lot about Jonathon Grant. He was a former senator and recently went back to the private sector, working as a CEO of a California energy company. He had been married two times before finding his seemingly perfect mate, Kim, who was also his administrative assistant. Jon had an interesting sense of humor. He and Fitz both were notorious pranksters.

"Did I tell you the time that we hired actors to play prostitutes and police officers and used a pound of crushed vitamin B to set him to make him think he had been caught in some prostitution, drug scandal?"

"What? No," she replied with a chuckle.

"Yeah. It was April Fool's day, and we spent maybe two weeks planning this prank. He thought he was meeting Kim and Cameron, but we tangled him up with these actresses who made it seem like he was a regular customer. The fake police came and busted him. They even handcuffed him. He about shit his pants.

"That's awful! Poor Jon," she sympathized. "Kim's his wife right?"

"Yep. And Cam's his daughter."

"I can't believe you would go through all that trouble."

"In hindsight, I can't either, especially considering it cost a couple thousand dollars to pay for the actors and room. So anyway, now every time he comes to town he mentions bringing cocaine and prostitutes."

She shook her head now fully understanding the joke of the email.

"You should meet him. He will probably bring Kim. We should all go to dinner this weekend."

"Fitz, I don't know if that's a good idea," she responded quickly.

"Why?"

"Because I'm still married, and I don't know…I just don't feel comfortable going on a double date right now."

"Okay," he agreed with a sigh. "But it's not really a double date. I just figured since they aren't in town often they could meet you. They hear about you all the time and…"

Wanting to avoid any hurt feelings or tension, she moved partially on top of him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him soundly on the lips and gave him her best pouty face. "I'm not ready for that yet. I want to be…" she hesitated then sighed. She kissed him again slowly. "I will meet them soon. Besides, I have that bridal shower and dinner with Lorraine. I don't even think I have time this weekend."

He shook his head in agreement, though he was slightly disappointed.

"Would you mind if they came by the bakery to see Karen on Saturday? I'm sure they would love to see her and where she works."

"Of course they can. I would love that."

She shifted off of him and they settled in a spooning position. When he wrapped his arms around her midsection and rested his hands on her abdomen, she intertwined their fingers, and brought his hand to her lips to give the back of it a sweet kiss.

* * *

It was midday Saturday, and Olivia was off work, but had to make a quick trip to the bakery. She had volunteered to make the bridal shower cake for her college friend Michelle's party. She was only at the bakery to pick it up. Karen and Quinn were working in the shop while Harrison and Abby were out delivering a wedding cake. Just as she was about to box the cake and leave, Karen came from the front of the bakery to the kitchen.

"Liv!" she said excitedly. "Uncle Jon, Aunt Kim and dad are out there. They want to see you since you're here."

Her heart beat a little faster knowing there was no way to avoid meeting Jon and Kim. Since she was heading out anyway, she had an excuse to be brief.

"Okay. I'll be right out," she said with a smile. She went to the bathroom to check herself out the in the mirror. Because shower was garden themed, she was dressed cutesier than usual in a white and yellow a-line dress. She couldn't explain why, but she was nervous to meet his family. She hoped that she would make a good impression.

"Hi," she greeted them as she saw them near the counter. Jon looked so much like Fitz, it was a little scary. Kim was something of blonde bombshell with a petite frame and curvy figure. Olivia moved from behind the counter to be closer to them.

"Hi, Liv," Fitz responded with a grin on his face. He grabbed her around the waist to give her a tight hug.

He pulled away to give everyone a proper introduction.

"Jon, Kim, this is Olivia."

"Liv, this is Jon and Kim."

"It's nice to meet you two," Olivia said as she shook their hands.

"Nice to meet you too, Olivia. It's always great to put a face with a name. I swear we couldn't get him or Karen to stop talking about you last night."

She looked at Fitz and smiled.

"I hope it was all good things," she replied. Wanting to avert attention away from her, she asked, "Is there anything we can get you two? We have a pretty large menu, so if there's anything you want now or even for later, just let Karen know, and she'll get it for you."

"Thanks, Olivia. I like you already," Jon said.

She smiled and spoke to Fitz. "I have to get going to that shower, so I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah. I'll call you later," he replied. As he was about to hug her, Jon blurted out, "Olivia, you should have dinner with us."

"Oh thanks for the invite, but I actually have dinner plans…"

"Cancel 'em," he insisted not allowing her to finish.

"Jon, I think she has other things to do tonight," Fitz spoke up on her behalf.

Even Kim joined in trying to convince her to go to dinner. Both Jon and Kim were eager to meet and spend time with the woman who seemed to have Fitz smitten. "Olivia, don't leave me with these clowns tonight. I need some estrogen to balance it out."

Being in their presence made her realize that she was being silly for being so nervous and wanting to avoid them. They seemed laid back and fun. Dinner didn't sound like a bad idea, especially since they weren't in town often. It was something that she knew Fitz would enjoy, and she figured she would have a great time. Lorraine was pretty flexible, so she knew it shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience to reschedule for Sunday.

"Okay. I'll go. What time?"

Surprised that she agreed, "I can pick you up at 7:00," Fitz offered.

"That works," she responded.

"Well it was so nice to meet you two, and I'll see you later tonight."

She moved to hug Fitz, and he pulled her in for another tight embrace.

"Thanks, Livvie," he whispered in her ear.

He had never called her that before, and it sent a shiver down her spine. It was reminiscent of her youth, when she never doubted the love of her parents. Hearing him say it was unexpected, but not unsettling. She smiled at him and held him around the waist for a moment. "I'll see you tonight," she said sweetly. With that, they all departed the bakery. She wasn't sure how he did it, but seeing Fitz and the prospect of seeing him later, completely changed her mood. She was feeling fine before, but now, upon seeing him, she was indescribably joyful.

* * *

On her way to the bridal shower, Olivia called Lorraine to reschedule. Like she expected, Lorraine was more than accommodating and agreed to go to lunch the next day. Olivia didn't give Lorraine much of an explanation. She simply told her that something came up and that she needed to switch days. She felt a little guilty for changing plans so last minute, but the more she thought about it, the more she really wanted to spend time with Fitz. She wanted the bridal shower to go by quickly, so that she could get ready for dinner with the Grants. She was arriving before the rest of the guests to set up the cake and to chat with Michelle, who she didn't get to see often.

The shower was held at Michelle's parents' expansive, floral filled backyard. Walking in with a present and cake in hand, Olivia took in the purple orchids snd pink tulips and lilies surrounding her. When Michelle saw Olivia, she greeted her immediately.

"Liv! I'm so glad to see you," Michelle said while taking the cake from her hands.

"I'm happy to see you, too. It's been too long."

"I know. The wedding planning is keeping me busy, and gosh the bakery has just become D.C.'s 'It' place to go. I see your ads on my bridal blogs."

Olivia laughed. "Yeah, we have a new advertising firm, and it's helped with exposure," she explained.

"I want to thank you again for doing my shower cake and the wedding cake. You know that is gift enough. You didn't have to get that," Michelle said, pointing to the wrapped gift Olivia was carrying.

"It's totally not a big deal. If you went to anyone else for your cakes, I might be a little offended," Olivia replied.

"We'd never. Anyway, how are you? How's Edison?" Olivia hadn't gotten around to telling many of her friends about the impending divorce.

"Uh I'm great. He's fine," she said unconvincingly. She didn't want to put a damper on a bridal shower by talking about a divorce.

"Uh oh! That didn't sound good. What's going on?"

Olivia came right out with it, knowing that she probably needed to be honest. "We're actually not together. We're divorcing."

"Liv, What? What happened?"

"We um…" She hesitated. "He cheated. He was having an affair," she said honestly.

"Oh my god. Liv…" Michelle paused, trying to sound surprised. She decided to drop the pretense, "Can I be honest?" Michelle asked.

"Of course."

"I was out to dinner with Darrell, I don't know, maybe three or four months ago, and we saw him looking extremely cozy with another woman. I went over to his table to say hi, and he and Darrell chatted for a bit. He introduced us to the woman. He said her name was Amber maybe," Michelle explained, trying to remember the woman's name. She continued. "He introduced her to us as his client, but Liv it was like 8 or 9 on a Friday night. I wanted to tell you, but Darrell thought maybe I should stay out of it. I should have told you. I'm sorry," she finished sounding relieved like a burden had been lifted.

Olivia wasn't even in disbelief that there was possibility of another mistress. At this point, Olivia didn't put anything past Edison. She was more so shocked that Michelle wouldn't tell her that she saw him dining with a mystery woman sooner. She tried to stay composed, even though she was a little confused.

"What did she look like?" Olivia inquired.

"She had she had medium length blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked pretty young. Maybe early twenties."

She knew from that description that the woman was not Stacey. She wasn't sure what to do with this news. It didn't change anything, but it was incredibly disconcerting to know that the person she fell in love with and married could be living a completely different life than he purported. The news of Edison put a changed her mood for the rest of the shower. She finished helping Michelle with the preparations and tried to enjoy the rest of the shower, but Edison was in the back of her mind the entire time.

* * *

Olivia arrived home from the shower and was getting ready for dinner with Fitz. She wasn't going to let Edison's idiocy ruin her time with him and his family. The more she thought about it, the more she was completely unfazed by his antics. Fitz arrived about fifteen minutes early, and seeing him made her realize that Edison could have an entire harem or a Tiger Woods level of mistresses and she would not care. In only tights and a bra, she wasn't fully dressed yet, so when he knocked, she answered it, peaking her head around the door.

"Hi, Beautiful," he greeted her sweetly.

"Hi," she replied. She looked in her driveway noticed that he was driving his two-seater, vintage, white Porsche 911 versus his black Range Rover. "Are we going back to your house to pick up Jon and Kim?" she asked confused about their plans as she let him inside.

"No actually. They're taking the SUV. They're going to meet us at the restaurant. I just wanted a moment with you."

She smiled. "I'll just be a few minutes," she said walking towards her bedroom to finish getting ready.

Needing to feel her sweet, lush lips on his, he pulled her by the arm and pushed her against a wall, much to her surprise. He sucked on her lips while rubbing his hands up and down her body. He rather forcefully gave her his tongue, but she gleefully accepted and allowed their tongues to caress each other. He pulled away from her lips only to place wet kisses up and down the side of her neck. As he kissed her, he attempted to slowly pull down her tights, but Olivia stopped him quickly.

"Fitz, we can't," she protested.

"We can," he countered as he continued working her neck with his mouth, and sliding her tights halfway down her thighs.

"Baby, we can't. Really. We're going to be late. I don't want your brother waiting on us," she panted out.

He ignored her, attempting to go back to her lips. She pushed him away gently and gave him a look.

"One more," he pleaded as he returned to her lips, which she allowed. He gave her one long kiss then pulled away.

He sighed. "Go get ready," he demanded as he pulled her tights back up and slapped her ass. She walked away, and he knew he'd never find another woman as irresistible. He wanted dinner to go by fast, so that he could get her back home.

* * *

Fitz and Olivia arrived at the restaurant right on time. They were seated right away and ordered drinks and appetizers. The conversation between the four was so easy and natural. It was as if Olivia had known Jon and Kim for years. Jon and Fitz were both so personable, and it was clear that they enjoyed each other's company. The two swapped memories of their childhood, which brought many laughs to the table.

"Fitz, you remember the time that you ran away from home when you found out about Jenna?" Jon asked.

Kim had already heard this story, and she laughed immediately.

Fitz shook his head in response. "Oh I remember. It was the scariest two hours of my childhood."

"Why did you run away?" Olivia asked Fitz.

Jon answered for him, explaining, "He was about five or so, and mom sat us down and told us that we were going to have a new baby sister soon. Well Fitz had a fit. He just loved being the baby of the family. I should also add that we fought and wrestled all the time. I did my best to torture him like a big brother is supposed to do," he explained looking to Fitz. He continued, "I think Fitz got it in his head that brothers and sisters fight each other, and he didn't want any more torture. He figured there would be two people hitting him and locking him in closets."

"Awww" Olivia said as she grabbed his hands, feeling terrible for five year old Fitz.

"Well he kept screaming 'NO NEW BABIES! NO NEW BABIES!' He packed up his little suitcase, which was filled with only toys and two apples. He just walked until he found himself a park. A nice officer brought him back home."

"That is too sweet and also kind of sad," Olivia said as she pouted at Fitz through a smile.

"He got over the new baby thing pretty quick. Once mom explained to him that the baby wouldn't be like me. She also came down on me pretty hard for fighting with you and torturing you. But then you feel in love with Jenna the moment you saw her. He used to sneak in her room at night and watch her sleep. You used to sleep in her room near her crib to make sure she was okay some nights. You always wanted to help mom with changing and feeding. Even growing up, you were always Jenna's protector"

"Oh my god, Fitz. It sounds like you were the sweetest, cutest kid," Olivia said.

"Oh he was, and he was always the favorite."

Fitz rolled his eyes. "Now, that's not true," he said semi-defensively. Jon always made this claim and it annoyed him to no end.

"It is. Mom and dad have always just liked you more. They love us the same, but they certainly liked you more."

They spent the rest of dinner telling stories of their childhood and learning about Olivia. Jon and Kim were both impressed by her. They found her career path to be intriguing. They had never seen Fitz glow as much as when he was with Olivia or talking about Olivia. It was refreshing. They stayed at the restaurant far longer than they expected. They paid and slowly, but eventually left. Both Jon and Fitz valet parked, so the couples waited to get their cars on the bustling D.C. sidewalk.

Olivia held Fitz's hand as they waited and rested her head on his shoulders, feeling a little tired. As he dropped a kiss on the top of her head sweetly, they heard a man's voice calling Olivia.

"Liv?" They heard from the opposite end of the sidewalk.

Olivia's heart raced as Edison and Lisa were approaching them. "

You have got to be kidding me," she said under her breath as they came closer. They were both carrying shopping bags from a children's store a few buildings down from the restaurant and looked incredulously at Olivia standing hand-in-hand with an unfamiliar man.

"Liv, what is this?" Edison said as he came within a foot of Fitz and Olivia. "What are you doing?" he asked angrily, pointing at their intertwined hands.

Olivia was stunned speechless. She was incredibly caught off guard seeing him in public. They hadn't spoken or seen each other since the day she found out that he fathered a child with Stacey.

Despite having filed for annulment, Edison felt a sense of entitlement towards Olivia. He was enraged seeing another man with his wife.

"Who the fuck is this?" he asked angrily pointing to Fitz. "Who the fuck are you and why are touching my wife?" he continued to interrogate.

"Edison!" Olivia was finally able to get out. "Do not pretend that we are together. I am minding my damn business, and I expect you to do the same."

Lisa broke her silence with a look of disgust. "Is this why you blew off mom earlier? For this? So that you could pretend you're not a married woman," she questioned waving a finger in the air.

Olivia was becoming infuriated. She had put up with so much from both Edison and Lisa. She was not going to take Lisa's accusatory tone. "Fuck you, Lisa," Olivia said not able to hold her anger back. "You don't need to concern yourself with what I am doing and who I am doing it with. You certainly don't need to worry yourself with my plans, and that goes for you too Edison, especially since you apparently have multiple bitches you're sleeping with," she said holding Fitz's hand even tighter.

Jon and Kim stood back taking in the scene surrounding them, completely confused about what was going on. The group was starting to make a scene. Jon and Kim were completely taken aback. They had no idea Olivia was married.

Edison moved closer to Fitz, and yelled in his face, "I said who the fuck are you and why are you with my wife?"

"You need to calm down," Fitz said in a demanding voice, gently pushing Olivia away from Edison and his rage.

Edison moved closer to Olivia and yelled at her. "I should have expected nothing more of you, Olivia. Here you are acting all holier than thou like you've never done anything wrong in our marriage, like your pussy's world class and should keep a man from straying. And here you are, acting like the whore you are."

Olivia had never been spoken to in this way, especially from Edison. She was shocked, hurt and angry all at once. Before she could think twice about it, Fitz yanked Edison by the collar and forcefully pushed him up against the brick wall of the restaurant building.

"I will fucking gut you right here and right now," Fitz yelled as he grabbed Edison by the throat, clasping it so tightly with his bare hands, Edison's airways started to close.

On lookers started to gather and gasp. "Fitz, STOP!" "Let him go!" "No!" Olivia, Lisa and Jon yelled at the same time while Edison appeared to be slowly losing his breath.

Jon rushed over and tried to intervene. He successfully pulled Fitz away from Edison before he was seriously hurt, but Fitz did not stop spewing his anger. "You need not even breathe in her vicinity, you son of a bitch. I will remove your god damn tongue from your crass mouth," he yelled as Jon held him back.

"Fitz, just calm down. It's okay. Just keep it cool," Jon said, trying to pacify the situation, keeping him a good distance from Edison and Lisa.

Lisa looked at Olivia and screamed, "You should be ashamed of yourself!" She then helped Edison get himself together. Coughing, Edison, with Lisa's assistance, weakly walked in the opposite direction.

Jon completely shocked by Fitz's actions stated, "Fitz, what the fuck, man? You could have killed him!"

Olivia and Kim stood on the sidewalk together in complete confusion. Everything was happening so fast around them.

Fitz didn't respond. He couldn't remember the last time he lost his temper to such a degree. Clearly frustrated, he ran his hands in his hair and stalked to the street, while waiting for the valet, trying to calm himself down.

Olivia was more than surprised to hear Edison spit such vitriol at her, but she didn't know if she should be mad or appreciative of Fitz's subsequent reaction. She was certain that she needed to get home. Their cars finally arrived in what Olivia was convinced to be the longest valet wait.

"Fitz, why don't you take Olivia home. Kim and I will head back to your place, and we'll meet you back later," Jon suggested.

"Okay." Fitz agreed. Still angry at himself and the situation, he quickly got inside of his car without opening the door or waiting for Olivia.

She got in his vehicle timidly and stared at him at him until he looked at her. "That was crazy and scary." she stated. "Are you okay?"

He looked at her, but his face was emotionless. "I'm fine. He is a fucking jackass," he replied in a short tone. Neither knew what to say to each other. Both were equally uncomfortable. Fitz was embarrassed that he allowed Edison to bring that level of anger out of him, and Olivia was mortified that she inadvertently caused such hysteria in public. Aside from a Jon Coltrane C.D. playing in the background, the ride home was almost completely quiet. Ten minutes into the drive to her home, the silence was broken by Olivia's cell phone. Lisa sent her a text reading, "**We plan on pressing charges. Eddie's throat is completely bruised. Congratulations nabbing a mad man**." She read the text message out loud to Fitz, and she rolled her eyes while he shook his head in annoyance, but they didn't speak of Lisa's threat or anything else any further.

When they arrived at Olivia's place, she expected that he would just drop her off and go back to Jon and Kim who were waiting on him. She figured that he probably needed some space to cool down. Instead, he jumped out of the car to open her door and walked her to her front door.

She unlocked her door then turned to face him to say something, but he spoke first.

"Liv, I'm so sorry about tonight. That was out of control."

"It's okay. I'm sorry that you were even put in that position because of me, that he yelled at you like that," she said as she rubbed her temples. The nights events was starting to cause a headache

She continued, but her voice cracked. "You should probably get back to Jon and Kim. Just get some rest and we'll deal with the rest tomorrow," she said as her eyes welled with tears and streamed down her face. The night's events caused a flood of emotions. She hated the way the dinner ended, and as much as she needed time to think, she didn't want to be away from him. She feared that this situation would come in between them.

He gently wiped away her tears. "Livvie, don't cry please," he said with a mix of frustration and tenderness in his voice. He hated that his actions, this ordeal was causing her any stress or sadness.

"I don't want to leave you. I'm not leaving you like this," he said to her sweetly.

"Fitz, your family is here. I'm sure they want some explanation as to how a nice evening turned into a disaster. Besides, you don't get to see them often. I'll be fine."

"You won't be fine. Not tonight," he said as he reached to open her door. She couldn't protest because she desperately wanted to be near him for the night. They went inside and she removed her shoes immediately. She went to her bedroom to change while he made himself comfortable in her kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water. He called his brother and explained to him that he was staying with Olivia and would be back in the morning. Jon was understanding and agreed to talk in the morning. He met Olivia in her bedroom, and she was seated on her bed dressed in silk pajama pants, a fitted tank top and a sleep sweater.

He undressed down to his boxers and sat down beside her. "I'm so sorry, Livvie," he said as took her face in his hand gently and stroked her cheek with his thumb. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her to hold her closer. "Tonight should not have ended like that. I don't want to cause you anymore drama."

"Stop apologizing. I'm not angry with you," she assured him again. "It shouldn't have been taken that far, but he was out of line and…" she paused then sighed. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. Not tonight."

He shook his head in agreement and kissed the side of her head. They moved to get fully on the bed, under the covers. His arms found themselves back around her waist as they spooned. The altercation with Edison left them both so tense and exhausted. Trying to get them back to a semblance of their normal light mood, he reached between her legs and rubbed her core gently through her silk pants.

"For the record, your pussy is totally first class," he whispered in her ear, jokingly quoting Edison.

She turned to face him and scrunched her noise at him and his vulgarity. She simultaneously smiled at him. She would never stop loving his ability to make her laugh or smile during any moment, regardless of its seriousness.

"Well, I'm glad someone thinks so," she replied in jest.

"I know so," he responded with a grin. She kissed him gently. He didn't understand how her kisses were enough to calm and soothe him. She moved to turn back around, but Fitz held her in place.

"I love you," he blurted out. He wasn't planning to say it, but he meant it sincerely. He knew that the sudden rage he felt when he heard Edison disrespect Olivia was due to the fact that he loved her. He couldn't imagine anyone speaking to a person he loved in that manner. He would defend her by any means because he loved her.

She stared at him feeling a little surprised, despite the fact that she was aware of his feelings because of Karen's revelation. Hearing the words come from his mouth made her heart and stomach flutter all at once. Not sure of the best way to reciprocate her feelings, she took his face in her hands and zealously grabbed his bottom lip with her lips. As soon as he opened his mouth just the slightest bit, she gave him her tongue. This kiss was full of the love she couldn't verbally express yet. It was the most passionate joining of their mouths yet. She pulled away, kissed his nose sweetly and looked up at him, hoping that her kiss would be enough. For Fitz, it was more than enough. He knew that one day soon she would be able to return her feelings verbally, but for now, he was happy to have her tucked safely in his arms.

* * *

**AN: So we have three new characters, Jon, Kim and Michelle. Have any you been in Michelle's position where you've suspected a friend's partner of cheating? I've never, but I've often contemplated what I would do. Edison continues to be the worst. Thoughts on the altercation? Lastly, Fitz busts out the L-word. Thoughts there? Thanks for reading and reviewing! **


	14. Chapter 14

Olivia wasn't sure how to handle the lunch date with Lorraine. She was expecting Lorraine to cancel their plans after everything that happened the night before. She knew Lisa and Edison well enough to know that they would tell their version of what happened the night prior, and the embellishments would be plenty. Regardless of what they told Lorraine, she was still Edison's mother. Lorraine was normally fair when it came to her children and how they treated others, but Olivia knew Lorraine would not stand for anyone being violent against her children, just like any other mother. Olivia dreaded having the conversation that she knew was bound to happen.

When Olivia didn't hear from Lorraine by 11:00am, she knew she should probably give her a call to be polite and cancel their lunch date. She didn't see the point in keeping it. She certainly didn't want to talk about what happened last night, and she wasn't comfortable telling her about Fitz. It would be too awkward to pretend nothing happened between her, Lisa and Edison.

She called Lorraine on the house phone and neither she nor Ben answered. She dialed her cell phone to no avail, so she left her a message canceling. She knew Lorraine had a hard time with her cell phone, so she knew there may be a chance that she didn't check it. Olivia felt terrible thinking that Lorraine was ignoring her and knowing she probably severed her relationship with her.

Not even five minutes after calling both of Lorraine's phones, Olivia saw that Ben was calling her from his cell phone. "Fuck," she said out loud. Before she even answered the call, she knew that it was about Lorraine. In the almost ten years that she had been with Edison, she could count on one hand how many times Ben called her directly. Scared about the reason for the call, she nervously answered.

"Hey, Ben."

She heard whimpers on the line before his normally gruff voice answered. "Olivia, it's Ben." He sounded slightly disoriented.

"Yeah. Is everything okay?" she asked, trying to stay calm.

"No. Not at all. It's Lo. We're at the hospital now. She mentioned that she had a hard time breathing yesterday, but she said she was fine. She started coughing blood this morning. We're at the hospital now. The doctors are saying something about blood cell count dropping. We're at the hospital now," Ben relayed in frenzy. He kept repeating "We're at the hospital now," and she couldn't get any questions in.

"Ben," she said in a slightly raised voice. "Have you called Edison and Lisa?"

"Yes. They're on their way. But Liv, I know she would want you here too," he said as she heard him burst into tears. "She's not going to make it Liv. She's not going to make it."

"She's going to make it. It's okay Ben. Everything is going to be okay. I'll be there in 10 minutes," she said, trying to keep him and keep herself from crying. She hung up the phone and grabbed her keys and ran out of the door.

* * *

She was trying to keep it together, so the only thing she thought about was getting to Lorraine quickly. She didn't think about her condition or the prognosis Ben attempted to give her. She was one track-minded as she drove to the hospital, parked and made her way to the fourth floor, the intensive care unit of the hospital.

When she got to Lorraine's floor, she could see and hear Ben raging at a nurse from several feet away. She walked briskly towards them.

"What do you mean I have to wait outside the room? Where is the doctor? I need to speak to someone who makes sense!"

"Ben!" she said as she approached them.

"Thank God!" he said as Olivia came closer. "These people are making me crazy. They say that I can't go in the room right now, but I'm her husband. I'M HER HUSBAND! I should be able to see her."

She grabbed him gently by the shoulder and walked them to a nearby waiting room.

"I know," Olivia pacified. "But they probably just have to set her up since they just transferred her and make sure she's stable," she said, trying to make sense of the situation for him.

"Let's just have a seat here," she said as she pointed to the chairs lined up near each other.

"Okay. Let's sit here. Let's sit here," he said, repeating his phrases.

Olivia made sure he was seated before she went up to the nurses' station to try to get any information out of her. She lied and told her that she was Lorraine's daughter, so that they would be forthcoming with information. The nurse patiently explained what was happening. "As you're aware, the surgery and the chemo post and pre-surgery helped remove some of the cancer. Her doctors were very aggressive with the chemo treatment, and her platelets dropped to low levels, which caused clotting. She's not getting proper blood circulation to her lungs or heart. We're doing everything we can."

Olivia was not prepared to hear that. She didn't think it would be that bad. Covering her mouth and shaking her head she stated, "I just talked to her yesterday. She seemed fine."

"Pulmonary embolisms can be sudden," the nurse explained. She continued using medical terminology, throwing Olivia for a loop. What Olivia could gather was that they inserted a catheter to try to dissolve the clot, and it was not completely successful in unblocking her arteries. It wasn't looking good. They transferred her from the ER to ICU for close monitoring.

She went back to comfort Ben. "I'm not ready yet, Liv. I knew this was coming. We prepared for it," he said as he started to cry again. Olivia had never seen Ben cry. She didn't know what to say or do. She wasn't ready either, but Ben's grief was adding to the devastation of the moment. "I'm not ready," he said again softly.

She took his hand to hold, and they both tried to comfort each other. Ten minutes later, Edison and Lisa walked in the waiting room briskly.

As evidence by their faces, they were more than shocked to see Olivia. Though Edison looked partly relieved to see her, the look on Lisa's face was filled with contempt. They both looked just as exhausted and worried as Ben and Olivia. Olivia couldn't help but noticed Edison's bruised throat.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Lisa asked loudly as she approached a hand-in-hand Ben and Olivia.

"Lisa, please. This is neither the time nor the place," Olivia said harshly.

"Is this a goddamn joke? You think you can show up here with my family after your little boy toy physically assaulted my brother? You have some fucking nerve," Lisa said with a raised voice.

As Olivia opened her mouth to speak, Ben stood up and faced Lisa. "Have you lost every piece of your mind? Don't you ever use that kind of language in my presence again. You might be grown, but I'm still your father, and you will show me some respect," he said. He had barely been able to formulate coherent thoughts or sentences moments prior, so Olivia was surprised by his authoritativeness and his ability to get out a coherent thought. He had been almost unintelligible since speaking to Olivia on the phone.

"Your mother is in there dying. Dying," he said, but his voice cracked by the last word.

"Daddy, I'm sorry, but you would not believe the trouble Olivia has caused. Just last night she…"

"I don't care about this divorce," he said with a voice full of frustration. "My wife is dying. Your mother is dying. Show some respect or you can leave. I can't take it right now," Ben demanded.

Edison went to his father and embraced him. Ben was breaking down, and Lisa was not helping. Lisa felt so betrayed by her father, thinking he was standing up for Olivia. She was equally devastated by her mother's condition. It was the reason that she and Edison showed up after Olivia. She couldn't drive, so she had Edison pick her up. She stormed away a complete wreck about everything that was happening.

"It's okay dad," Olivia heard Edison say.

The nurse came to Edison, Ben and Olivia. She explained that Ben could go back into the room. They were only allowing one guest at a time in the room. "Dad, take as much time as you need. I'll be out here," Edison explained.

Ben left to go back in Lorraine's room, and Olivia addressed Edison, feeling uncomfortable in his presence. She didn't want to be around him, but she didn't want to leave Ben or Lorraine. She couldn't even handle Lisa right now.

"I should probably go. Just tell Ben to call me," she said as she got up to leave.

Edison grabbed her by the arm gently. "Wait. Liv, please don't go. Please."

"Edison, I can't…" she started, but when she looked at his face, all she could see was hurt. He wasn't the man that disrespected and cheated on her. He wasn't the person that destroyed her trust and betrayed her. He was a man that was losing his mother. He was a man that was grieving, and she was grieving too. In that moment, she became his wife again. She became the person that comforted him when he was upset, that shared in his pain.

Without a second thought, she sat beside him and placed her hand on his thigh and one hand in the middle in of his back to rub. He grabbed her hand, and she didn't pull away. They sat there together, until Ben came rushing back to the waiting room in a panic, mumbling "Crash cart. Resuscitating her."

Olivia and Edison calmed him, and a nurse soon followed him out with vague details about what was happening, which neither Edison nor Olivia could understand. They waited for 15 minutes anxious in a panic until a doctor came to the waiting room and pulled them into a small, private room. He explained that they called Lorraine's time of death with the cause being pulmonary embolism, a side effect from her chemotherapy. They were able to break down some of the clot that traveled to her lungs, but the artery was so blocked that it stopped circulation. He explained that a social worker from their bereavement staff would be in to assist them shortly.

As soon as the doctor left, both Ben and Edison cried loudly. Olivia held both of them while they grieved. She was so devastated, but it was as if her mind processed the news before her heart. She couldn't let her emotions out. Subconsciously, she didn't want Edison to see her vulnerable. She also had an inherent instinct to take care of them and be strong for them. When the social worker came, Ben was adamant that he wanted to talk to her alone to make arrangements for Lorraine's body to be taken to the funeral home.

Edison and Olivia hesitantly left Ben alone. They sat in the waiting room in silence for almost thirty minutes. Edison finally able to speak looked at Olivia.

"Have you eaten?" Edison asked her.

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

"Will you walk with me to get some coffee?" he asked meekly.

She agreed. They didn't talk as they headed down to the cafeteria to grab caffeine for Edison.

"Are you sure you don't want any tea?" he asked her.

"I'll take some water," she said.

He paid for the coffee and a water bottle and led them to a two person table.

Against her better judgment, she took a seat with him. She knew there was not much for her to do to help Ben or Lorraine, but she couldn't leave yet. Leaving meant starting to let go of Lorraine. She wasn't ready yet. As she sat in front of Edison in the cafeteria, she couldn't believe that less than twenty-four hours prior, they were screaming at each other in public.

"I'm going to miss her, Liv," he said through tears.

"I know. I am too," she said. She wasn't trying to be short, but she couldn't let herself open up to him. She also wasn't trying to be petty, but she was too angry with him to let him in. She was with him because it was the right thing to do. It was what Lorraine would have wanted her to do.

"She was the best woman I knew," he said honestly. "She adored you. Every time I would fuck up, she would go so hard on me. She was never like that with anyone else I was with. She was never like that with Lisa's husband. But you? She really loved you like a daughter."

She couldn't help but break just a little hearing that. Tears began to well in her eyes, but she was determined not to let them fall.

This instance brought a new perspective for Edison. Losing his mother made him realize all that he had lost. "I'm sorry for everything, Liv. Last night was fucking absurd. I'm sorry for saying that shit to you. I was just angry. I can't handle seeing you with some man. I don't even like the thought of you with another man, but…" he said honestly.

She had so much she wanted to say, but she didn't want to talk about them, especially not right now. She could tell that he was being sincere, but she wasn't ready to accept his apology. Before she could stop him, he continued.

"I don't fucking deserve you, and sometimes I think, in a twisted way, that's why I fucked up so hard. It was like mom knew I didn't deserve you, all of our friends, my coworkers even," he said sincerely. "God, every time you would come to a company picnic, it was always, 'Davis how'd you land her?' I know they were just joking and complimenting both of us. But honestly, I had those same thoughts every time I slept next to you. It was like you were the beautiful, perfect, hard working wife, and I was just some greedy finance guy who you just lucky to be in your world. Those women made me feel like they were lucky to have _me_. It's so fucking stupid I know…" he said embarrassed, trying to work out his thoughts and feelings.

Olivia was surprised to hear this revelation from him. She was shocked that he felt that way. "Edison, it was never like that. Your affair made me think that I wasn't good enough for _you_. And before you cheated, I… I loved you so much. There was nothing I wouldn't have done for you. I loved you," she ended in a pleading tone.

"I still love you Liv, and I know you don't believe me, but it's true. I love you,"

She didn't say anything for a moment. She didn't feel the same way. "I mean I can't say the same thing anymore. It's too fucked up. I'm moving on. I'm gladly moving on," she stated honestly. She wasn't trying to rub it in his face or make him feel worse. She was simply speaking how she felt.

"I know. You should, and I should too, which is why I'm going to drop the annulment petition. We should just do this uncontested. I'm not going to press charges," he said pointing to his throat. "And the money from the account I mean I feel like it's my money too and…"

She cut him off. "Edison, I appreciate that you want to handle this like adults. I appreciate that you aren't pressing charges, but this isn't the right time to do this, to have this conversation about us."

"I know. But I am sick of talking through lawyers. I want to be able to talk to you and hash out a settlement. We can come to terms ourselves. We always have in the past."

He was right about that. They certainly disagreed in the past, but typically, they did a good job of resolving their matters. She compromised.

"I will agree to have lunch with you and discuss our divorce without attorneys. But Edison, you cannot go back and forth with our agreement. As soon as we come to terms, I'm going straight to my lawyer's office so that he can draw up the terms. I expect to have everything settled within twenty-four hours of our meeting," she said seriously.

"Okay. I can do that. I know everything is going to be crazy with mom's…" he couldn't get the word funeral out. "I know we'll both be busy, but I'll call you so that we can meet up when stuff dies down."

"No. I'll call you when I want to have lunch, and we can set it up that way," she corrected.

"Alright," he agreed.

"We should probably head back up," Olivia suggested.

They rode the elevator in silence and went to check on Ben. Olivia saw Lisa as soon as she turned the corner to meet Ben.

"Okay. I'm not dealing with her tonight. I'm going to let you all have some time as a family…"

"Liv, you are family."

She shook her head in disagreement. "I have to go, but have Ben call me about any funeral arrangements or if he needs anything. We'll be in touch about lunch."

"Okay," he said as he reached to hug her. She didn't pull back, but she didn't embrace him fully. She allowed him to hug her for a few seconds and then pulled way.

* * *

Olivia left the hospital feeling like she was carrying everyone's grief on her shoulders. She had been strong for everyone else, and now she needed someone to be strong her. She called Fitz needing someone to talk to about everything. As soon as she heard his voice on the other end, she broke down.

"Livvie, what's going on? Are you okay? Where are you?" he questioned rapidly confused by her out pour of emotions.

"Lo di…" she couldn't even get the words out. "Lo passed away today," she managed to say.

"I'm so sorry."

She didn't say anything. She simply cried on the other end of the line.

"Baby, where are you?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm in the parking lot. I'm about to drive home."

"I can come pick you up if you can't drive. I don't want you driving like this."

"No it's fine. I'm fine," she said as she wiped away her tears.

"Are you on your way home?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I'll meet you there in 30 minutes."

* * *

True to form, Fitz arrived at her home in 30 minutes. Olivia had only been there for the past ten or fifteen. She didn't know what to do with herself, so she sat on the couch and sat blankly on the walls. She didn't even bother locking the door when she came home, so Fitz just let himself inside and saw her blankly staring at the walls.

As soon as their eyes meet, her tears came back. He rushed over to her carrying a duffel bag and two shopping bags. He dropped them on the floor near the couch. He moved to her quickly and gathered her in his arms. She buried her head in chest, as he wrapped his arms around her. She cried hard in his body, shaking and quivering into this chest. He consolingly rubbed up and down her back, periodically running his hands in her hair. She moved fully on his lap and sobbed as he cradled her.

With his hand in her hair, he whispered, "Whatever you need I'm here." She let everything out for a full fifteen minutes. She finally lifted her head from his chest. Her eyes were blood shot and her nose was slightly snotty. He moved slightly to grab one of the shopping bags from the floor. He took out a box of tissues and opened it. He wiped her tears away with the tissue and cleaned her nose for her. He smiled at her and she smiled back weakly.

"I'm sorry I'm such a mess right now," she stated averting her eyes.

"You don't have to apologize," he assured her.

"Thank you for coming."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"What's in the bags?" she asked pointing to what he dropped near her couch.

He smiled and reached for the contents. "Well, I brought tissues, ibuprofen for your head," he said as he dug around the bags. "I brought wine just in case you wanted it." He took out several bag and boxes of popcorn ranging from pre-popped flavored popcorn to salted-popcorn. "I brought these. I wasn't sure of which one you wanted."

She smiled at him, a real smile this time. He was so caring and considerate. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"You're more than welcome," he said continuing to wipe away her tears. "Have you had any real food yet?" he asked.

She shook her head no.

"You need to eat something. Why don't I run you a bath, so you can relax. And I'll figure out food."

"That's okay. I'll just hop in the shower really quickly,"she countered, not wanting to be alone with her thoughts of Lorraine.

He helped her into the shower, and he went to her kitchen to rummage the cabinets. She quickly showered and came out wearing a white camisole and black yoga pants. Her wet, curly hair was pulled up. She sat down at her kitchen table, and he served her grill cheese sandwiches cut into perfect triangles. Despite her stocked kitchen, he decided to keep it simple and comforting. They ate in relative silence. When she was done, he walked her over to her couch. They sat down together, and he pulled her legs in his laps.

"What was your favorite memory of her?" he asked.

She looked at him a little annoyed. She didn't want to talk about Lorraine in detail. It was too painful, but she answered anyway, wanting to be polite. She thought about it for a moment. "There were so many," she started hesitantly. She smiled eventually thinking of a memory.

"When Edison and I moved to New York together after living here in college, I was so nervous to be living in the city again. You know I went to boarding school in Connecticut, but my mom and dad live there. At the time, I wasn't speaking to my parents, of course, and I was so nervous about running into them. I don't even know why, considering it never happened," she explained, wondering with her stream of thoughts.

She continued, "I was so anxious about my new job there, too. Well, Lorraine flew up one weekend knowing that I was so worried about everything. She used to live in the city as well. She freelanced for several papers for a long time before editing here at the Post. She knew of seemingly every independent bookstore in the City. Anyway, she came up, and we just spent the day going from bookstore to bookstore. It was a little sad, because many of the stores were shut down, but it was still so fun to see the city from her eyes, to hear about her experiences. She had a story for every shop we visited. She showed me places around the city where she would find inspiration. She used to go to this coffee shop in SoHo to write. It was her favorite place to read and write when she had writer's block. Sometimes when I couldn't get motivation, I would read manuscripts there, and sure enough, I'd find my mojo." Olivia didn't realize it, but she was smiling the whole time while sharing her memory of Lorraine. It felt good to remember the happy times she had with her. She wanted to continue to think about and share the positive moments she could recall with Lorraine.

"I always wanted to open the bakery, and it was definitely something I planned on doing. I never thought it would happen this early, but Lorraine was so encouraging. When I told you I baked a lot when I couldn't conceive, I meant it. I baked a _ton_," she said chuckling softly recalling all the baked creations she came up with during that period of her life. She continued, "Lorraine and Ben were normally at the delivery end of my baked goods. When I told my parents that I was seriously considering opening my own shop, they thought I had lost my mind."

Fitz interjected. "Really why?"

"It just wasn't corporate enough. My dad was like 'Why can't you just buy a bakery franchise? Something that's not destined to fail.' My mom was a little more sensitive, but she would send me emails of stories of small restaurants that were going out of business. We moved back to D.C. and it was probably six months until the bakery was opening. Lorraine came by our house to pick up some muffins and brownies that I baked for a party she was attending. I was so down after my mom sent me the most depressing article of some local business shutting down. I told Lorraine about what my mom sent, and I shared all of my doubts and how it was probably naive to think I could have a successful business. She didn't say much that day, but she listened to me vent. The next day she surprised me, and we drove to this cute, local cupcake shop in Virginia. And she told me that I could have this and so much more if I wanted. She told me that she believed in me, and that I had the support of the family to follow my dreams."

"It sounds like she was amazing," Fitz said.

"She was so amazing," Olivia replied with a smile wiping tears from her eyes.

"I'm glad you had her."

Olivia kept smiling. She was so fortunate she had Lorraine as well. They sat in silence for a few moments, thinking. She could honestly say, though she was still sad, thinking about the good times she had with Lorraine made her happy, grateful for the moments she got to have with her. Despite everything that was going on between her and Edison, she felt strangely grateful for him too. If she hadn't married him, she wouldn't have gotten to know Lorraine as personally as she did. In that moment, she was also extremely grateful to have Fitz, to have someone who was so kind to her and wanted her to share her feelings, to have someone who was supportive while she grieved. Sitting with Fitz, she felt a sense of calm for the first time that day.

She moved fully on his lap and straddled him. She smiled at him and stared into his beautiful, piercing eyes. Fitz held her at her waist and smiled back at her. He loved getting to know her better and hearing her memories. Even through red eyes and tears, he found her to be so effortlessly beautiful.

"You know what I can't wait for?" she asked, breaking their silence.

"What?" he asked having no clue what she was going to say.

"I can't wait to make more memories with you," she said as she closed the space between them by resting her forehead on his. "Thank you so much for being here with me."

"Stop thanking me," he urged gently. "I told you. There's no place I would rather be," he said earnestly.

She kissed him for the first time that day, and it felt like utter perfection to feel his lips rubbing hers. She pulled away with a tired sigh and said, "I know it's still kind of early, but can we go to bed?" He wasn't sleepy, but he knew that she was exhausted. Regardless, nothing sounded better than holding her while they rested together, watching a movie, talking or simply not speaking at all. He picked her up, and she clung to him tightly as he walked them to her bedroom.

* * *

**AN: As you can imagine, this chapter was super sad to write. I really loved writing Lorraine's character. :( I'm not sure if the medical stuff is all right, but I think it's close to being accurate. Edison appears to have had a change of heart in terms of the divorce and revelations about their marriage. Thoughts there? We'll have more on that front in the next chapter. We have a compassionate Fitz, as per usual. We'll see how their relationship changes/grows in the next chapter. **


	15. Chapter 15

Fitz was having an abnormally terrible day at the office. After one of his rival firms poached a top client, and one of his best account managers put in her two weeks notice, he didn't think he would make it through the day without a drink or yelling at any unsuspecting person that crossed his path. He really wanted to see or even speak to Olivia, but she was busy with the Davis family. Helping with funeral arrangements and helping Ben with whatever he needed had kept Olivia busy for the past week and a half. His private line rang and he hoped it was Olivia calling, but he was pleased nonetheless to see that Jon was calling.

"Hey Jon, what's up?"

"Not much, man. I was just thinking about you, and figured I'd call. We really didn't get a chance to speak before I flew out."

"I know. I'm sorry about that," he responded.

"So what's new with you?"

"Aside from work, not much. The school year is winding down for the kids, so we're just planning vacations, college visits. That sort of thing."

"You guys should fly out to California. Cam would love to see Karen."

"Yeah we should. Karen's mentioned it. I was thinking about surprising mom for her birthday, but the kids won't be in town next weekend."

"She would love to see you anyway."

"Maybe I can get Liv to come with me," Fitz absentmindedly mentioned. It was more of thought for himself than for Jon. Jon was surprised to hear that he would consider taking Olivia. They hadn't talked much about the incident outside the restaurant much since it happened.

"Are you two that serious, Fitz?"

"Honestly, Jon, we're just doing this go with the flow thing. We're trying not to rush it, but I have serious feelings for her," Fitz admitted. Fitz and Jon were always candid with each other. He felt comfortable sharing his feelings about Olivia with him.

"I see. I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised. I'm just a little concerned. Fitz, she's married. Did you know she was married before you got with her?"

Fitz sighed. He wasn't particularly in the mood for where Jon was going with this conversation.

"It's not like that," Fitz tried to explain.

"I'm sure you don't think it is, but I would be foolish to not mention how crazy this is. I mean how do you know she won't leave you? How do you know she won't go back to her husband? Who's to say she won't change her mind. It clearly hasn't been that long since she split with her husband, if she's not divorced yet."

"I hear what you're saying, but Jon, I can't explain it. She's just different. It's different. I know it's not the best time. She knows it's not the best time, which is why we're just taking it day by day. But she's not going back to that guy," he said confidently.

"It's just…you have kids, Fitz. They don't need to be around any relationship drama."

Fitz was starting to get annoyed at Jon's mentions of his children.

"There's nothing dramatic going on between us. Do you seriously think I would be involved with a woman who brought drama to my children's lives?"

"I don't know what you would call that dinner, but subtle was not one of them. That was crazy, and if there is a chance that something like that could happen around my niece and nephews than, you need to reevaluate what you're doing personally," Jon voiced with concern.

Jon continued. "Olivia seems like a nice person. She is smart, and Kim and I had a great time hanging with you two, but I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you with someone who's not fully committed to you because, Fitz, I can tell how much you care about her. You wouldn't have had that reaction on the street otherwise. She just got out of a marriage, and who's to say that she wouldn't change her mind?" he asked again. "You've been in her position before. You know there were moments when you considered going back to Mellie. What if she has those same moments?"

Fitz contemplated what Jon asked, and he honestly couldn't answer some of the questions he posed. He didn't know with certainty that Olivia would go back to Edison. It didn't seem like she would, but there was always a chance. He couldn't say definitively that Olivia felt the same way about him as he did her because she hadn't expressed those feelings yet. He was only certain of how he felt when they were together. That was not something he could explain to Jon. He got off the phone trying to stay in positive spirits, but now Jon's words were stuck in his head. He needed to talk to Olivia to feel some reassurance, to have someone who could turn his terrible day around. He was pleased when she quickly answered his call.

"Hi. Shouldn't you be working?" she asked checking her wall clock as she kneaded dough in the bakery's kitchen. She was working in the back by herself while Abby manned the front.

"I am working, but I needed a break," he explained with a sigh. "I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Are you okay? It sounds like you're upset."

"I'm fine. It's just work stuff. I would be better if I got to see you."

She smiled. "I think we can make that happen."

"Yeah? When?"

She thought about it for a moment. "Well I have lunch with Edison in a few, and then I'm supposed to meet my lawyer. But I'm free tonight."

He was unaware of her plans with Edison, but tried to hide the surprise in his voice.

"You're having lunch with Edison?" he asked casually.

"Yeah. I thought I told you. He had these grand revelations at the hospital, and we agreed to have lunch to work out the divorce settlement."

She did tell him about their conversation, but he was certain that she didn't mention going to lunch with him. He would have remembered. He was trying not to show that he was slightly bothered by the idea of her dining with Edison.

Out of general curiosity, he asked. "Where are you going for lunch?"

"We're not sure yet. He's supposed to text me. If I had to guess, I'd say Francesca's. God, he's so fucking picky, so probably there," she responded, thinking out loud. She continued, "But now that I think about it. That place always has a crazy wait during lunch, and he probably has his weekly conference call at 2:00, so I'm not so sure."

Even though they were still married, he hated how familiar she was with him. He knew it was probably ridiculous, but he hated the way she knew his habits. He couldn't help but imagine how comfortable and familiar they would be during lunch. Although it was just the circumstances of their divorce and Lorraine's death, he was slightly jealous that Edison was getting to spend so much time with Olivia. He also didn't understand why she would even want to have lunch with him given everything that transpired between them. What if Jon was right? What if she wasn't truly committed to him? What if they reconciled during lunch?

He was silent, and she picked up on the fact that he didn't love the idea of the two of them having lunch.

"But it shouldn't last too long," she said, trying to minimize their lunch outing. "It should be an hour and a half maybe. Two tops. Just business," she explained.

He couldn't hide his annoyance of the situation any longer. "Isn't this something your lawyers should be doing?" he asked in a tone that she only heard when he was working.

"I guess normally, but things have been amicable between us, so I'm just going to go with it. Whatever makes this process easier, I'm going to go with it."

Jon's words were continuously creeping in his mind, which was adding to the frustration of the moment. "I just don't understand why you would even want to dine with him. He's fucking awful," he said with a slightly raised voice.

"I didn't say he was a good person. It's not about his personal attributes," she said, growing just as frustrated at his accusatory tone. "It's just something I have to do. I agreed to it, so I'm going," she stated as a matter of fact.

Annoyed, he said, "I just haven't talked to you in a few days. I know you've been busy, and I understand that. I really do, but then you just casually mention that you're having lunch with him like it's not a big deal."

"Fitz, it's not a big deal. I don't understand why you're making it in to one. I didn't realize I needed to pass every meal I have by you. I didn't realize that my dining partners mattered this much to you. That you cared this much. I'm not going to lie. I think you're being a bit ridiculous right now."

"Don't do that. Don't act like I'm overreacting. Excuse me if I'm a little taken aback that you're choosing at your own free will to share a meal with a person who lied to you, cheated on you, stole your money, and treated you like shit for months. Sorry if I don't understand why you're willingly spending time with him instead of utilizing the legal representatives you pay thousands of dollars to do this on your behalf."

"I don't want to fight with you. This is not some romantic experience. It's business, and I will choose to handle my personal matters any way I see fit. I wasn't under the impression that this lunch with Edison concerned you to this degree."

"It doesn't, Liv. It absolutely doesn't," he said sarcastically. "It only concerns me when he fucks you over and lies to you about whatever agreement you seemingly come up with, and you're calling me crying, needing support. I guess that's the only time it will concern me."

"I can't believe you're taking this situation this far. And the implication that I only use you for emotional support is just..."

"Well Liv, that's what it feels like right now. You can drunk dial me when you're upset. You can vent to me. You can cry in my arms. And I can listen. I can wipe away your tears. I can literally fight your battles in the middle of a sidewalk. I can clean up his messes, but heaven forbid that I'm a little concerned that you're freely spending so much time with him. Heaven forbid that I'm not thrilled over a lunch date, then I'm the one that's ridiculous, and it's none of my business."

"Are you really doing this?" she asked with tears welling in her eyes. "You know I felt awful about that phone call. You know I was so hesitant to share anything about the divorce with you, and now you're using my moments of weakness against me? And if you really think that I'm some mess, some charity case that you've fixed and cleaned up, then I think we should stop whatever this is right now."

"Whatever this is?" he said repeating her, growing more frustrated. Finally getting to what he was really worried about, he accused, "I guess that's the problem. You're too wrapped up in your own world to commit to what this is. Too busy to realize that I'm serious about us and to fully understand that I love you."

"What are you talking about? I _do_ understand your feelings. I'm _**not**_ uncommitted to you! But I am someone's wife. I am married, so there's only so serious we can possibly be right now, which is exactly why I need to have lunch with Edison. So that we can be more together. Honestly, I'm so confused about where any of this is coming from." She was starting to fully cry, completely taken aback by where this conversation ended.

Wanting to get off of the phone, she dismissively stated, "I'm working, and I just need to go."

"Fine. Have a good lunch with that asshole," he said sarcastically.

"You're really mature, Fitz," with equal sarcasm and hung up the phone.

* * *

Olivia met up with Edison, and she was in a terrible mood. Now because of Fitz, she was worried that Edison might renege on their agreement and make their divorce more difficult. He was already seated at a table and she hastily approached him.

"Hey, Liv," Edison said as he stood up, attempting to hug her.

She put her hands up and shook her head. "Can we just do this so I can go?"

"Yeah. I know you're busy. I've got that weekly call, so. Let's get started," he said as they both took their seats.

The waiter came and interrupted them before they could get too settled.

"Welcome to Francesca's. I'm Sarah, and I'll be taking care of you today. What can I get you started with to drink?"

" We'll start with two glasses of water for now, but I think we're ready to order. I'll have the baked ziti and she'll have the Chicken Florentine," Edison stated confidently.

"Don't order for me," she snapped. "I'll have the blackened chicken alfredo," she told the waiter.

"Sorry," he said as the waiter left. It was their normal order at this restaurant, so he was confident in her meal selection. He was confused by her demeanor. The last few days together, they had been completely cordial.

"Why are you so testy? You should be happy. It's our last meal," he joked.

That took her out of her sour mood. She smiled and replied, "Don't say it like that. It sounds morbid."

They didn't waist much time on small talk. They got right to business. "Personally, I think we can keep this simple," Edison stated.

She shook her head in agreement. "Split the sale of the house. You keep your car. I keep mine. I have no use for the beach house, so you can keep it. You put the down payment on it. The mortgage was generally paid using your account, so it's yours. I keep the hedge fund. You keep the mutual fund. And You need to repay the 32,000."

"I'm fine with everything except the $32,000. It's not as if I stole your money. Liv, it was our money. You and I both could use it as we see fit."

"I'm not going back and forth about this. Yes, it is ours. _For retirement_," she emphasized. "We agreed that we wouldn't withdraw from it. Do you really think it's fair that I pay $32,000 for a child that's not mine?"

"It's not like you're hurting for money," he responded.

"And you are? It's going to break the bank for you to repay me? It's the fucking principle of matter at this point."

"So what you're punishing me?"

"No. I'm not _punishing_ you," she repeated in complete annoyance. "It's my money, which you had no business touching."

"Ours. Our money." he corrected.

She rolled her eyes and continued, completely ignoring his statement, "Now, you can willingly repay me or we can drag this shit out, and if you prolong this anymore than it needs to be, I promise I will…"

As she started her threat, she realized that she didn't have the energy. She didn't need the money, and all she could think about in that moment was Lorraine. Lorraine would have hated that they were arguing about money that neither of them needed.

"You know what? Because it was for educational purposes, I will let it go. But I will take 60% from the sale of the house."

"Deal," he said with a smirk and extended his hand.

She stared at it for a moment, and reluctantly shook it in agreement. When she pulled her hand away, she stated only half joking, "I would like nothing more than to smack that corny grin right off of your face right now."

He smiled even harder and changed the topic. "So have you talked to your lawyers about mom?" he asked.

"Why would I talk to my lawyers about Lorraine?"

"Her will. You should get a copy of it next Friday."

"What? Why?" she asked a bit confused.

"I don't know, Liv. I talked to her lawyers and dad, and apparently she made some changes a couple of weeks ago. She also requested that her named beneficiaries get copies two weeks after she passed."

"So what's in it?"

"I don't know. I guess you, Lisa and I will find out next week. I tried to get dad to tell me, but he wouldn't budge."

She wasn't expecting Lorraine to include her in her will, especially since she and Edison were divorcing. The fact that she recently made changes, made her equally confused and curious.

Their meal came, and they chatted as they ate. It was reminiscent of better times together. She appreciated that they could at least be civil towards each other. She couldn't get Fitz out of her mind, however. He'd ask her questions about work, or they would share memories of Lorraine, and she would dip in and out of the conversation, thinking of Fitz. As soon as they were done eating and the check came, she confirmed the terms of their agreement.

"I'm glad we could work this out," he said.

"Me too."

"So I don't know when I'll see you again, but…" he started.

She cut him off, and surprisingly gave him a hug. In her mind, it was their last moment of affection. She pulled away quickly.

"This feels weird," he said of their departure. She could honesty agree. It felt so final, so complete. It was appropriate closure for both of them. They both needed it.

"It does, but it's good. It's good for both of us," she said optimistically.

"I guess I'll see you around," he said.

"I guess so," she replied with a smile and quickly left the restaurant.

She knew that she would probably see him or talk to him again because of Lorraine's will, but in her mind, she was done. She went straight to her lawyers and had everything drawn up and to be signed. It would be a few more months until everything was filed and finalized, but she felt relieved. A door was closing, and though she was pleased to have it done, she was so anxious thinking about Fitz. She wanted to call him, but she was so angry with him. She gave in and called him to share the good news, but he didn't answer his cell phone. She called his private work line to no avail. It was in the middle of the work day, and she realized that he may need a little time to cool off, so she didn't think much of it. Even though she couldn't reach him, she went back to work in higher spirits knowing that she and Edison were so close from being free of each other.

* * *

Fitz spent three days ignoring Olivia. He ignored her phone calls on the first day because he was too annoyed with her to have a decent conversation. He needed time to get his thoughts together. The fact that Olivia was so nonchalant about having lunch with Edison was truly bothersome for him. And the fact that Olivia was so dismissive of his feelings made him feel even worse.

On the second day, she called his cell phone in the morning, and he was still torn about talking to her. Ignoring her calls was like a defense mechanism. He didn't want to get hurt by her, and he was serious when he told her that he couldn't be her rebound. Even though she said she was committed to him, they were still largely in limbo with their relationship. He told her he loved her and meant it, but he was a little unsure of how strongly she felt about him. She just wasn't as expressive as he was, and that was okay, but during times like this, he needed to know that her feelings for him were as strong as his. He just wanted to know that he was more than just a casual fling. When she used the phrase "whatever this is" in regards to their relationship, after making lunch with Edison seem as casual as ever, it made him question if she was as committed as she claimed to be. It made him wonder if he should continue seeing her.

On day three, sitting alone in his kitchen on a weekday afternoon, Fitz realized that he was being slightly ridiculous. Even though he was bothered by her outing with Edison, he realized that shouldn't have ignored her to such a degree. However, he truly needed those days to think, to get Jon out of his head, and figure out what was best for him. When he thought about it, he realized that the best thing for him was Olivia. He knew he needed to apologize for not speaking to her, and he hoped she would accept it.

He moved to his refrigerator to grab something to drink, and was startled by Karen who let herself inside.

"Geez, Kar! When did you get here, honey?"

"Just now. We're going on a night swim at Riley's. I figured I would shower here and grab my new suit since I left it here last weekend."

"Karen it's a school night."

"I know, but mom said I could. And technically it's her night so…"

He huffed loudly knowing this was a losing battle. "Fine. If you're not going to be a Mom's then at least text me when you get to and from Riley's. I'm serious, Karen. I will call her parents."

"I know. I will."

"I thought you had work today?"

"I did, but Olivia let me off early surprisingly."

"That was nice."

"We were dead, so she said I could go. She's been in the weirdest mood lately. She's just been very quiet." Forgetting about their relationship, she said "Don't tell her I said that."

He smiled, but then felt horrible knowing that he was probably the reason for her poor mood. "You know she's going through a lot with Lorraine's death, and…"

"Yeah," Karen agreed. She noticed her father's pained expression. He seemed just as withdrawn as Olivia. She put two and two together.

"Are you two in a fight?" she asked.

Not wanting his daughter involved in his personal affairs, he replied, "No. We're fine."

"Isn't she normally here on weeknights?"

"Some nights, yes."

"Well, dad, if you did something wrong. I'm going to need you to fix it because having Olivia sad at work is the worst. So buy some flowers. Buy some chocolate, a card. Bake a cake if you have to" she said jokingly.

He smiled at Karen's comments. Giving her something to show how sorry he was for ignoring her was not a half bad idea. Even though Karen was not being serious about baking a cake, he knew Olivia would love it if he attempted to bake for her. Karen went to her bedroom shower and grab her bathing suit, and Fitz quickly called his mom to get his grandmother's recipe for her cinnamon Bundt cake. By the time he was off of the phone with his mother, Karen was back downstairs ready to leave for her friend's place. He started searching for cooking supplies, banging around baking pans, and Karen couldn't help but get distracted by the commotion.

"Dad? What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for one of those curved pan things. We have one of those, right? The ones that Nana used for Bundt cakes."

She smiled at him and his obliviousness. "You mean a Bundt pan?"

"Yes. Do we have one?"

"We do actually," she said as she moved to look in their cabinets to retrieve it. She put it on the counter, but he was too busy staring at the ingredients list to notice. He looked very overwhelmed.

"Dad do you even have all the ingredients?"

"I don't think so. What's vanilla extract?" he asked seriously.

She laughed at him. Knowing that he had never baked anything except for pre-prepared cookies. She knew he would have a hard time with the cake.

"Why don't we go to the store, and I'll help you," she suggested.

He was surprised by her offer. She was usually a typical teenager who would rather be with her friends than her parents. "Honey, you don't have to do that. Go hang out with your friends. I'll be fine."

"It's totally fine. I'll just text Riley. Honestly, I don't even want to go that much. Bridgette is going to be there, and she is _so_ annoying," she said in her usual dramatic fashion. "We can go to the store, and I'll help you. It shouldn't take too long," she offered.

He agreed, and they promptly left to gather all of the ingredients. She proved to be quite useful in the kitchen. Though he did all the work, she gave tips and answered any of his questions. When the cake cooled. She helped him box it, and she left to go to Mellie's. He left for Olivia's with his cake not knowing exactly what he was going to say. He just knew that he wanted to end their silence.

* * *

He knocked on the door, and she answered with an angry look on her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came bearing gifts," he replied.

"Gifts? Really. You don't talk to me for 72 hours, and you bring me a gift, and you expect me to give a shit," she said angrily.

"Well I made it myself, so I hope you'll accept it," he said with a playfulness to his tone.

Annoyed, she ushered him inside. She led him to her living room, and he set his box down on her coffee table. He sat down on her couch, but she didn't want to be near him. She couldn't be near him because he would break her hardened exterior. She sat in the chair adjacent to him."

"What is this?" she asked pointing to the box he place on her table.

"Cake. My grandmother's Bundt cake. I wanted to say sorry, but that didn't seem like enough. I just wanted to share something special with you to show you that I care about you and how sorry I am. I don't know, it might be stupid but…"

Her scowl dropped and her tone changed. "It's not stupid. It's sweet. It's very sweet, but Fitz…" she started and sighed and threw up her hands.

"What are we doing?" she asked. "Are you mad at me? Are you not mad at me? You ignore me for a few days and now…"

"I shouldn't have ignored you. It was silly, but I recall you doing the same thing to me a few weeks back."

She gave him a confused look, and he explained, "The Karen thing? You needed time to think. And this time, Livvie, I just needed time to think."

"So what is this? Tit for tat? I ignore you for a day and you top me by two more? That was almost a month ago by the way, and it was completely different."

"How was it different?"

"We weren't in the middle of a fight, Fitz!" she said with a raised voice. "You know what? This is ridiculous. I'm not going to back and forth about who was more right about ignoring the other. Just don't fucking ignore me anymore," she said in frustration.

"Just don't fucking ignore _me _anymore_,"_

They didn't speak for a moment. They stared at each other waiting for the other to speak. Fitz finally broke.

"I'm sorry for acting like that the other day, Liv. I wasn't trying to use anything you've shared with me against you. I love that you tell me about what's going with you. I wouldn't want it any other way. And I shouldn't have acted like I resented it. Baby, I guess I was just a little jealous. You were spending so much time with him because of the funeral, and honestly, a part of me was worried that you might change your mind about the divorce over lunch."

She was surprised he felt that way, but completely understood his point of view now that he expressed himself.

The time apart gave her time to think as well. She realized that she could have been more understanding of his point of view, and explained, "I should have been more considerate of your feelings towards Edison, and not dismissed your thoughts about him and the situation, especially considering you have personal experience with him and his idiocy," she replied.

She got up from her chair and pulled him up from the couch. She just needed to touch him and feel his affection. She pulled him in for a tight hug. "I'm sorry," she said with her head resting on his chest.

She gazed at him. "Those three days without talking to you were..." she started.

He interrupted and finished for her, "Shitty. No one asked me about my run or reminded me to take those awful supplements. I didn't get any lunch time cupcakes sent to the office.

"I didn't have anyone to talk to during my morning commute. I didn't get a wakeup call so I overslept on Tuesday. It sucked," she added to his list. "We can't do that anymore. We have to talk to each other even when we don't want to. I thought we might be…I thought we were over," she said sadly.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "The last thing I wanted was to make you doubt us. I guess I was just trying to protect myself. Figure out what was going on in my head."

"Hey," she said as she pecked his lips quickly. She hated that he felt that way. "You don't have to protect yourself from me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm in this. I promise I'm in this. And now that the settlement is signed, every part of me is in this."

He was surprised that she and Edison came to an agreement, but was pleased nonetheless. He shook his head, trying to take in her words. A small part of him had doubts in what she was saying. As if she could feel his apprehension, she hugged him even tighter before teasingly kissing his lips. She wanted to show him how much she cared about him, how strong her feelings were. She pushed him down on the couch, and he tried to pull her with him, but she moved away from him.

With a few steps of distance between them, she slowly took off her clothes for him. She lifted her shirt from the bottom and slowly revealed skin until it was completely over her head. She kept her eyes on him as she unbuttoned and unzipped her pants and slowly removed them off of her body.

Once she was free from her shirt and pants, she sat on his lap, straddling him in a navy blue bra and gray seamless underwear. He held her at her waist. She grabbed one of his hands in hers to bring to her mouth to kiss. "I'm _never_ going back to him. You're the only man for me. Okay?"

He nodded his head, and she moved closer to him to allow their mouths to meet again. She pulled away because the feelings she had for him were overwhelming. They took in each other's expressions. She was on the brink of tears, and he his face was full of adoration.

"I," she started with teary eyes then paused. "I love you, Fitz. I love you so much," she finished nervously with a pained expression. She was relieved to get that out there, but she was simultaneously scared to admit it. She knew she loved him. Those few days apart confirmed it for her, but loving him felt so different than loving Edison. It was more intense this time and all consuming. She didn't know how it was possible, but emotionally she had more to lose this time around. Sitting in just her undergarments, she felt exposed in more ways than one.

His heart swelled hearing those words leave her mouth. But her eyes told him it that took a lot for her to say those words. He knew that she was nervous about loving another man. Her welled tears fell from her eyes and down her cheeks. He kissed them away, the saltiness lingering on his lips, and responded "I love you, too. You know I do." He knew that she was just as scared of being hurt as he was. "I just need you to know that I'm never going to break your heart. I just want you happy."

She shook her head in agreement and grinned at him through tears. She kissed every inch of his face, his forehead, his eyelids, his nose, his cheeks before landing on his lips. He kissed her back with so much passion, she could feel their skin begin to heat. She wanted him so badly. She missed his touch desperately in their few days apart. She guided the hand she was holding down her stomach to her underwear. He played with seamless edges before she led his hand inside of her underwear.

She pulled away from his mouth to leave wet kisses him from his chin up his jaw to his ear. She whined in his ear, "I need you to feel me." Once he cupped her core with his palm, she whispered, "It's yours," seductively in his ear.

Their tenderness went away with a flash, and the passion grew between them. Those words sent him to another level of aroused as his bulge grew tenfold. He yanked her panties off of her body and massaged her clit forcefully. He wanted to do more than just touch her. He was determined to fuck her senseless. He hastily removed her bra and threw on it the floor. Her naked body was sheer perfection to him, and her hard nipples were calling his name. He squeezed her left breast before flicking her hardened nipple with his tongue. When he fully took her breast in his mouth, she cradled his head to her chest and moaned.

He pulled away from her chest to remove her from his lap to lay her flat on her back on the couch. He got up from his seat and started undressing. "You know what I want to do to you, Beautiful?" he asked as he quickly unbuttoned and removed his shirt.

Panting, she responded, breathlessly "What?"

As he took of his pants, he said, "I want to flip you over and take you from behind." He sat down on the couch again, maneuvered between her legs and rubbed her body all over. "I want to grab your arms and pen your hands behind your back just like you like it. Then, I want to go so deep inside of you that you feel like you can't breathe. All while I stroke your beautiful clit. Do you want that, Livvie?"

"No," she said shaking her head vigorously with a smile, despite the evidence of her arousal dripping down her thighs

"You sure, baby?" he asked as he touched her wetness.

She didn't answer his question. Instead she sat up on the couch, asking, "Do you know what I'm _going_ to do to you?"

"I'm going to take every inch of your beautiful cock as I ride you slowly," she said as she moved back on his lap to straddle him. "Then I'm going bounce on it until you're whimpering and grunting," she continued as she stroked his shaft with her hand. With his help, she slid down on his member, and continued,"And then I'm going to come all over your dick while I'm screaming your name."

"Do you want that, Fitz?" she asked repeating his question softly.

Her dirty talk always arousing, but this time he thought he may combust at her words. Just like she told him she would, she rode him slowly, moving back and forth and bouncing up and down his shaft. With her hands around his neck, he pulled her even closer to him until there was almost no space between them. She loved the closeness, and she loved the position.

She couldn't stop whispering in his ear how good he felt and how much she loved having him inside of her. He loved every dirty word that left her mouth, and he gave her tongue filled kisses between each phrase. Before he knew it, they were both reaching their climaxes together, holding each other and screaming each other's names.

* * *

After a long, hot shower together, they settled in her kitchen. He donned nothing but boxers and she wore a tiny boy shorts and a tank top. "What do you say we try this cake?"

He was a little nervous for to have a slice of his cake. He put a lot of effort into it and hoped it would be as good as his grandmother's.

She cut a piece and put it on a plate and grabbed two forks. "It looks really good, baby," she complimented enthusiastically.

She carried the plate over to him and sat down beside him at her kitchen table. She took a bite, and took a moment to savor the flavor. She closed her eyes and moaned in delight, "It's so good," she said in surprise. "Look at you, and your baking skills," she said as she took another bite. "We might have to put this on the menu," she said only half-joking.

"You're not just saying that …"

"I'm not just saying that because I love you," she interrupted him.

"I was going to say 'to be nice,' but it's good to know that you aren't sparing my feelings just because_ you love me_." Giddy at her declaration of love, he repeated, "You love me."

She got up to sit on his lap and wrapped an arm around his neck and said again, "I love you," this time more confident than the first time.

He smiled so hard, he was confident that she could see his molars."Good. Because I don't see a world where I could stop loving you."

She rubbed her nose against his nose, smiling at his affection. He grabbed her hand before asking, "Will you come to Santa Barbara with me?"

"What? When?" she asked took off guard by his invitation.

"Next weekend for mom's birthday. I want to surprise her. I wanted to bring the kids, but they'll be in North Carolina with Mellie over the weekend. Jerry wants to visit a couple of colleges there, and she wants Karen and Teddy to see their grandparents. I would love some company in California. Come with me."

"Fitz, don't you think it's a little early for me to be meeting your parents?" she asked meekly. She realized that they just had the conversation about her being fully committed to him, but meeting all of his family seemed like a bit much right now.

"No," he responded quickly. "And it's not like that. I just want to spend some time with you away from D.C. You've already met Jon and Kim. Jenna will love you, and so will mom and dad. It won't be some formal introduction. It's just us in California for a few days, and then a dinner for my mom. It'll be a quick trip."

"I'm sure Jon and Kim are just dying to hang out with me after that fuck show in the street," she said sarcastically.

"They liked you a lot. They would love to spend more time with you," he tried to assure her.

She was buying it. With a sigh, she asked, "Where would we be staying?"

"We could stay with dad. He has the ranch. Honestly, we could stay with any member of my family. They would love to have us, but I can book a hotel if you'd be more comfortable."

She got up to get her cell phone from her purse, which was placed on her island. She came back and sat on his lap. She opened her calendar app, and he looked at it over her shoulders."I don't have any major cakes this weekend, but wedding season is about to start so…" she said then paused.

"So, what?" he inquired, wanting her to finish.

"So can I think about it?"

"Of course," he said as he kissed the side of her neck. He was just happy that she didn't turn him down completely. She gave him a soft kiss on the lips, smiling against his lips.

Before either could think about the trip any further, Olivia's phone vibrated in her hand. Both Fitz and Olivia were surprised to see Maya Pope's name flash on the caller ID. Her heart raced just thinking about her mother's voice. "Fuck," she said out loud. Olivia let out a deep, annoyed sigh and reluctantly answered the call.

* * *

**AN: Okay, long chapter here, and lots happened. Fitz and Olivia have a fight partly influenced by his brother's words. If I were in Fitz's situation my sister would probably have the same chat with me, except not as nice lol. Thoughts on their fight? Edison and Olivia have agreed to a divorce settlement, and Lorraine's will remains a mystery. Thoughts there? Fitz and Olivia makeup with the help of a cake. A possible trip to California awaits, but next we will have a phone call from Olivia's mom.**

**Hope y'all enjoyed! Thanks for all of your reviews! And thanks so much for reading! **


	16. Chapter 16

"Hello?" Olivia greeted her mother hesitantly.

"Hi darling. How are you?" Maya Pope asked as if speaking to Olivia was a regular occurrence.

"Uh. Fine. I'm fine," Olivia responded, clearly surprised by her mother's casualness.

"I'm glad to hear that. I just heard about Lorraine. You know your father and I have been in Europe for the past two weeks, so we're just catching up with everything in the States."

"No. I didn't know that. I don't know how I would considering…"

"Well we're back now, and I'm glad to hear your voice," Maya interrupted. "My condolences are with you and your husband. She was a good woman. A great woman."

Maya was talking rather loudly, and because Fitz was in the room, she felt compelled to fill her in on the divorce. She placed Maya on hold, and turned to Fitz. "This could be a while," she explained.

"That's okay. I can just go back to my place. We can talk tomorrow."

"No! I don't want you to leave. Do you mind just hanging out until I'm done?"

"Not at all," he said then kissed her forehead. He headed to her bedroom to watch television.

Olivia returned to the phone call. "Edison and I aren't together anymore, but I'll certainly relay your condolences."

"What? You're not with him. What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine mom. We've been apart for bit now. He was having an affair, and I realized that I didn't feel the same about him as I used to."

"That bastard. What a dog. Livvie, I told you he was no good. Your father and I both tried to reason with you when you first got in engaged to him. I knew it wouldn't last."

"Thanks, mom. I'm glad to know you had so much faith in my marriage. And if this conversation is going to be a long 'I told you so,' then I'd rather not."

"Of course it's not. I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through so much sweetheart. You know you can call your father and I whenever you need us. We love you."

"Yeah. Thanks," she replied, truly unconvinced by her mother's sentiments.

It was really hard for Olivia to work up the nerve to call her parents when she knew she would be berated for something, whether it was her career choices or personal habits. She felt as though they were never satisfied with her.

"Hold on your father wants to talk to you," Maya said as she passed the phone to Eli Pope.

"Liv how's the business?" Eli asked enthusiastically.

"Wow! No 'how are you?' Just 'how's the company,'" Olivia said completely annoyed. "It's fine, dad. Great actually. We're on track to open up a new location within the next six to eight months."

"I am thrilled to hear that. I knew if you worked hard enough you could take that mom-and-pop and turn into something withstanding and profitable."

"Apparently, you've experienced delusions about what my business is, and you're level of support in the past," Olivia replied harshly. "In any case, my business is doing just fine."

"I didn't mean to upset you sweetheart. I'll let you speak to your mother." He passed the phone back to Maya.

"You know you really shouldn't take that tone with your father. It upsets him."

"Mom, honestly I don't care. I don't care to continue this conversation, so unless you have something specific to say then…"

"I was just calling to see if you'd consider coming to New York in a few weeks. Your father received the recognition for his philanthropy the Clarkson Society banquet, and we would both love it if you came to support. Maybe even speak a few words at the reception."

"You have got to be kidding me. You don't speak to me in almost a year, and then you call because you need a favor."

"Sweetheart, I don't want to point fingers, but we have tried to call you. I email you all the time. I want to talk to you, but a phone works both ways."

Olivia didn't acknowledge her mother's response. "So okay, you want me to speak at some awards ceremony. You want me to say some kind words?"

Olivia thought about it for a moment, and before Maya could respond, Olivia said, "I'm sorry, but no. I'm not going to pretend that we're a happy family so that dad looks good for his coworkers, and I'm certainly not going to lie and pretend that he was a great father. What am I supposed to say? 'My father showed up for me. He was never cruel, and never made me feel like I was a second-rate daughter. He was just _so_ loving," she finished sarcastically. "Thanks, but no thanks. You are a fucking nut case if you think I would attend that."

"That is not fair. He has always been a wonderful father to you, Livvie. I think you're being quite selfish," Maya accused.

"Well I suppose I learned from the best," Olivia retorted quickly. "This conversation ended just how I knew it would. So I'm going to go now," she said as she hung up the phone.

She let out an exasperated sigh and moved to pour herself a glass of wine. She almost completely forgot that Fitz was waiting for her in her bedroom. She set her unfinished glass of wine down on the counter. Since she and Fitz just made up, she didn't want to damper their mood. She entered her bedroom with a forced smile. Fitz was sprawled out in the middle of her bed, watching Sports Center. Olivia joined him on the bed.

Fitz picked up on her demeanor immediately. "What's wrong, Baby?"

"Nothing. I just love talking to my mother," Olivia responded with a voice full of sarcasm.

"That bad, huh?" he asked and wrapped one arm loosely around her waist.

"No actually. Just very typical," Olivia said as she rolled he eyes. "They insult me. I insult them. Somehow a favor or a piece of advice is thrown in the mix, and I hang up. She'll call back tomorrow morning wanting to apologize. Depending on what I said, I may apologize back. Then she'll call me six months from now. Rinse and repeat."

He couldn't help but chuckle softly at her description. "Will you have to apologize tomorrow?"

"I probably should. I cursed at her, and basically told her that she and dad were shitty parents."

"What? You cursed at her?" Fitz asked completely shocked. He couldn't imagine a conversation with his mother that would involve swear words.

Olivia relayed the conversation almost verbatim to him. He knew that they didn't have the best relationship, but he didn't know it was that dysfunctional.

"Have you ever considered sitting down with them and having a heart-to-heart?

"No. They're not really talk it out people. I don't think they would go for that."

"Honestly, Liv. They probably would. You're their only daughter. I'm sure they would love to have a better relationship with you. And I don't want to overextend here, I don't want to get in the middle of anything, but it sounds like your mom just now, tried to spend some time with you."

"Fitz, that's not spending time. That's _absolutely_ not spending time. That's attempting to show me off, and pretending to be a normal family."

Wanting a better understanding of Olivia's relationship with her parents, Fitz asked, "The last time you talked what happened?"

"I told you what happens," she said trying not to grow annoyed at his curiosity. "The last time, it was basically the same conversation except that time they invited me to fly with them to our family reunion on my mom's side. I would have gone to the reunion. I love spending time with my family when I can, but I didn't want to go with them. And when they asked me why, I told them that I didn't want to pretend to be a big happy family just so that she could keep up appearances."

"I'm not taking their side, but in their own weird way, it sounds like your parents want to get to know you, and want to spend time with you."

She was not use to having any pushback when it came to her views on her parents. Anytime she discussed her parents with Edison, he always sided with her. On the rare occasions that she discussed her parents with Lorraine, she was always neutral. Every now and then, Lorraine would say things like 'She's still your mother.'

Olivia was becoming defensive. "If spending time with them means spending time with other people as well, then I don't want to do it. And they should know that. If they really wanted to spend time with me, then it would do it. They would fly here."

"Have they offered to do that?"

She thought about it for a moment. Her mom offered to fly to D.C. during their last conversation, after she declined the reunion. However, Edison wasn't too keen on the idea, conveying all the ways that it would be awful. She agreed with him, and because she was busy at the bakery, she didn't see the reason in moving things around to accommodate them.

"Yes. But I was busy with work, and like I told you they hated Edison. At the time, I thought it would be uncomfortable for him to have them around when they hated him so much," she tried to explain.

"But now you're not with him."

"Yes, but they're still the same overbearing, pretentious, selfish people, so nothing's going to change.," she said with a slightly raised voice. Sighing she asked, "Why are we having this conversation? I don't want to talk about them anymore."

Fitz didn't want to push the issue. "Okay. I know it's none of my business, but I will say that I think you should try to repair your relationship with your parents. I know they haven't always been the best and maybe sometimes they're not always the kindest, but I know as a parent I would be devastated if any of my children didn't speak to me."

"I hear you, but I don't want to talk about them anymore," she said. Her voice was now cracking and eyes started to water.

He felt a little guilty pushing her so much to talk about them. "C'mere," he said as he pulled her closer. He took her already parted lips in his mouth's grasp, and pulled way.

Even though she said she didn't want to talk about them, her mind was still on them.

"God, I hope I'm not like them."

"You won't be. You're going to be a great mom. You're such a nurturing employer. You're so good to me. You're so sweet and funny."

"I don't even know why I'm going that far. I probably can't even have kids," she said offhandedly. She tensed up soon as the words left her mouth. Although he knew vaguely knew of her fertility issues, they hadn't discussed having children in great detail. She didn't even know if he wanted more kids. She wasn't prepared to have the baby conversation. She hoped he would ignore her offhanded remark.

He didn't ignore it. He soothingly rubbed her arms, and reassured her, "It's going to happen when it's supposed to."

"Everyone one says that until I'm forty and can't have children."

He smiled. "Well you have quite a few more years before then. And there are other alternatives if you can't carry children."

"I know. And I'm totally opened minded to that. I really am. But I would be lying if I said that I didn't want the experience of carrying at least one of my children, to experience that natural bond, to have the ups and downs of pregnancy. I want that." Even though they talked all the time, and she was comfortable discussing most things with him, she was always surprised by each new level of vulnerability he was able to bring out of her.

He didn't really know how to respond. He wanted that for her too if that's what she desired. He loved witnessing Mellie's pregnancies and getting to experience every doctor's visit together. He knew how special a time that was for a couple. He stayed positive.

"You're going to have amazing children."

"Is that…Is that something you want?" she asked timidly. She meant it in a general way, but realized that he could have perceived that she was asking about them specifically.

"Do you want more children?" she asked, trying to clarify.

"Can I be honest?" he replied.

"Yes. Of course."

"Sometimes I think that having more children isn't in my cards. I'm forty-four. I have a six year old, and honestly, it's hard for me to see myself fathering anymore children," he explained.

"But then, I met you," he said as he pushed a stray hair away from her face. "I don't want to be cheesy, and I don't want to sound love struck…" he started and paused trying to think of the right phrasing.

"And I know we're taking it day by day, but I also know that you're committed to us. I'm committed to us. I know what we have is special. And now it's hard for me to _not_ see a future with you. I can't imagine _not_ expanding my family with you."

She smiled incredibly hard at his sentiments. His words stunned her into silence. She knew he was being sincere. Even though it was far from the right time to be discussing children in serious detail, they both appreciated that they could be open with each other.

"But for now, I think I just like our trial runs," he said with a smile as he moved on top of her. He moved his hands between her legs, cupping her core. He stroked her a few times and her arousal grew quickly. He nuzzled his head on his favorite place on her neck.

"It feels like you're ready. Girl, are you ready?" he asked, singing his best R. Kelly impersonation before kissing her neck.

She laughed hysterically. "Why do you know that song?" she asked as he continued to work her neck.

"I set," he started, but then proceeded to kiss her. "R. Kelly radio on my online station after you made that CD," he finished against her neck.

Half moaning and half laughing, she tried to take off her underwear without him leaving her neck.

He continued to sing the lyrics to 'Ready' as she attempted to take off her underwear and his boxers.

She was finally able to get out of her boy shorts, but was still distracted by his voice and his terrible impression to get him completely naked. Trying to think of who he reminded her of in that moment, "You sound like…. You sound like Ben. Stop it," she said, laughing as he pushed up her tank top and kissed her up all over her torso."

"You didn't like that?" he asked sarcastically.

She shook her head no.

"But I know you like this," he said as he kissed his way down her stomach to her core.

"Yeees," she cried out.

"You like this?" he asked before licking her slit.

Her moans were all he needed to know that she more than liked it. They spent the rest of the night playfully pleasing each other and basking in each other's caress.

* * *

A few days later, after receiving a call from her lawyer's receptionist to come to their office, Olivia was headed their way. She knew that the appointment was likely about Lorraine's will, and her thoughts were confirmed when her lawyer handed her a copy of it.

Her face drew a blank as she read the document. It was a seven article document with a section for general provisions. She named Ben, Edison and Lisa as her living children and identified Olivia with both last names Pope and Pope-Davis, and identified her as either daughter-in-law or former daughter-in-law.

As she read the document thoroughly, and all of her assets and personal items were meticulously detailed.

After defining the terms of the will, the names and relationships of her beneficiaries, Lorraine's will explicitly outlined her intentions of inheritance. Because her real estate and property were co-owned with Ben, he was left with complete control over managing it and continued to bear responsibility for the mortgage and taxes. She continued to read, noticed her name in a subsection and her mouth went dry with nervousness.

Lorraine explicitly left her a trust fund, comprised of cash and stock totaling $120,000. She also left Olivia her book collection, an assortment of first-edition copies of books she'd collected, books that she purchased herself, books that were gifts, and books that were provided to her through work. Olivia knew it was easily a couple thousand books in Lorraine's huge library. Olivia knew that Ben and Lorraine were well off, but was surprised by that amount of money. Ben had always an investor, before retirement, and because of his early encouragement, Edison also went into the field. They lived comfortably, but modestly. She could not have imagined that she would have been bestowed anything financial from Lorraine, let alone her book collection.

Stunned and curious, she also read what was left for Edison and Lisa. Lorraine also left both of her children $120,000 each as well as various personal items including her jewelry, clothing and antique furniture.

Mr. Hammond passed Olivia a sealed envelope. She opened it quickly and almost cried immediately when she saw Lorraine's handwriting.

"_Olivia,_

_By now, you have seen what I left you, and I wish it could have been more. There is no amount of money, no value I could put on having you as a daughter-in-law. I am so grateful that my son had the good sense to marry you, and I wish he would have had the good sense to keep you. The money I have left for you can be spent in any way that you see fit, but I hope you will use it for my future grandchildren. Buy the nursery of your dreams; splurge on whatever new baby whatnot that's overly priced, but you just have to have, or use it as an investment in their future. I trust you to do what is right for you and your family. Olivia, I love you dearly, and since I've gotten to know your beautiful spirit, kind heart, and wonderful personality, you have been like a true daughter to me. You have never missed a birthday, a Mother's Day, or any holiday without reaching out to me. You have run every errand I have ever asked of you. But most of all, you loved my son like no woman, aside from myself, probably ever will. You took care of him and built a lovely home for him. I appreciate everything you did for my son. I am confident that your love made him a better man. What I'm leaving you is not a prize for being an amazing woman. It's not a token for being a great wife to my son. It is a reflection of my love for you. I love you so much, Olivia Carolyn Pope, and though selfishly I wish you were still a Davis, I want you to take care of yourself and my beautiful future grandchildren. _

_Until we meet again,_

_Lo_

Olivia bawled as she read the closing line. More than the money, Olivia was truly touched that Lorraine entrusted her with her books, the items that brought her so much solace, and the possessions that made her career. It was such a large piece of her. Shortly after speaking to lawyer and trying to work out logistics, she called Ben to make sense of it all.

"Ben, it's Liv."

"Hey, Olivia. I take it you read the will."

"I just read it. I'm driving back to work from my lawyer's, but Ben is this right?"

"Yes. We discussed it and went over it meticulously. She made changes shortly after you visited her in the hospital after surgery. She was in her right frame of mind. This is what she wanted."

"But Ben her books? I know how much they meant to her. Her library was her sacred place. Shouldn't you keep them?"

"Believe it or not. I have a love-hate relationship with those damn books," he said with a deep chuckle."They stole so much time away from me. I'd need to talk to her or want to spend time with her, and she would be stuck in a book, stuck in the world of fiction, sometimes, I swear, she would forget to care about me," he admitted.

He continued. "They're for you. She always wanted you to have them, even when you were still with my son. She figured her grandchildren could have them. She really did think of you as a daughter. She loved you so much."

Olivia shook her head as if Ben could see her and silently cried on the other end.

"What about Lisa and Edison? What about her biological grandchildren."

"We know both know that if we gave them to Edison or Lisa they would end up in storage or company yard sell or something. You will put them to use. That's what she wanted."

"But the money? I can't take that."

"Liv, you can and you will. All of us have had the good fortune of working hard and having incredible opportunities. None of us necessarily need the money right now, but you never know when there will be rainy days. Honestly, when you were still with Edison, she intended do the same thing, thinking you two would eventually have children together. After you and Eddie split, she wanted to make changes to include you specifically. This is what she wanted."

"Ben. I can't believe it," she said with a sigh, still so shocked. "I'm honored to have her books. I appreciate the money, but this is too much."

"It's not too much. This is what she wanted. Just honor it. Don't over think it."

She couldn't help but over think it. It was so much to take in. She needed some time to stew. "Okay. Thanks for everything Ben. If you need anything, please call me."

"You know I will."

"Talk to you later."

"Bye, Liv."

* * *

She got back to the bakery in slightly somber spirits missing Lorraine now more than ever. No sooner than she tied her apron and pulled her hair up, she heard commotion in the front of the bakery. She hastily went to address the problem, thinking a customer was upset.

"Where is she? Where the fuck is she?" she heard as she walked to the front. Olivia stood before a fuming Lisa who had blood shot eyes and reeked of tequila. "Where is that fucking bougie princess?" she asked oblivious of Olivia's presence a few feet away from her.

Abby tried to calm her down. "Lisa, I need you to take a breath. This is a place of business."

There were no customers present at the moment, but had any been around, they would have caught a show.

"LISA! What is going on here?" Olivia questioned angrily.

Lisa swung her head around to face Olivia. "There you are you fucking bitch," she said so hard, spit came flying her mouth. "You are the worst thing to ever happen to this family. Don't think you're special because mom left you money. You don't deserve a cent of it."

"Lisa, you need to get out of my bakery. You need to leave now," Olivia demanded as she moved closer to her.

"I will leave when I say I leave," Lisa spouted back.

"Listen, you need to get the fuck out of my shop before I personally remove you myself."

"Is that a threat? Are you pretending that you would lay a hand on me?" Lisa questioned, moving closer to Olivia.

"You're drunk!" Olivia declared with a scowl.

"I warned Eddie about you. I knew you were fucking trouble. I knew you had this planned all along."

Olivia was growing tired of her name calling and accusations.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Olivia questioned dismissively. "You know what? I am so sick of your shit. If anything, someone should've warned _me_ against your brother. For years, I loved him. I took care of him. I gave him every piece of me only for him to sleep around, lie to me and betray my trust. That's what I got out of marriage with your _beloved_ brother," she explained with a raised voice.

She moved a step closer to Lisa and continued. " So I don't know what twisted story you have in your head about me, but I was _only_ loving and caring to your brother. I looked past every single fucking flaw that man had because I loved him, because he was just the perfect man," she ended with a hint of sarcasm.

Olivia was growing so angry, she was beginning to cry. "_He_ broke _me_. He broke me every time he put his dick in that bitch. He tore me down every time he lied and told me he loved me because he was too much of a coward to leave me and everything I brought to the table. I don't know what type of fantasy you're living in, but your brother is not a saint. And your continuous defense of him is not only crazy and delusional, it's fucking creepy."

Lisa scoffed. "Do you really think I'm here because of Edison? I am talking about my mom. You conned your way into to being with Edison. You can call it love if you want to, but I call it as I see it. Con artistry. You fucking conned your way into this family so that you could have a mother."

"WHAT?" Olivia yelled.

"You heard me. And you know it's true. You wanted a mother figure, so you clung to the man with the best mom so that you could have a nurturing figure in your life, and it's sick. You need help."

"_I_ need help? Do you hear yourself right now? You think I dated Edison, married the man, for your mother? That is absurd, and only a fucking delusional nutcase could come up with something that ridiculous."

"It's the truth! And now you're 100 grand richer with the perfect library, which I'm sure you put in her ear as she was _dying_ with cancer that you wanted. I'm sure you dropped plenty of hints when you were driving her to chemo under the guise of friendship."

"Lisa, you seriously need professional assistance," Olivia said slowly, making sure she received every word. "I loved Lorraine, yes, like a mother to me, but I _never_ used her. I took her to chemo because you and your brother were pussies, and too selfish to do it for her. There was no plot to take anything from her. Don't you think she would have seen through that? Or do you have so little faith in her character that you would make her out to be some gullible, sick old woman. Get the fuck out of here. You are a disgrace to her legacy."

"You're such a bitch," Lisa declared with tears in her eyes. "YOU STOLE MY MOTHER FROM ME," Lisa yelled with tears streaming down her cheek. "And don't you think I didn't realize that she loved you more than me! More than her own flesh and blood," she said shaking her head. "Did I _ever_ get invited to take day trips to Virginia? Did she want go to lunch with me? Did she ever want to introduce me to new novels and spend hours on the phone with me? No, it was you, always _you," _she said in childlike tone_._

"And when you were married to Edison, it was always your home that she suggested we do Christmas and Thanksgiving. Never me and AJ. My husband and I were never good enough to take vacations with. Just you and Edison. You stole her from me. These past ten years have been awful because the moment you two got to know each other she dropped me. I was never good enough. She found the daughter that she always wanted."

Olivia was starting to feel bad for Lisa, although she had no idea where any of this was coming from. "Lisa it was never like that. She loved you so much. You acted like you hated her presence. You always clung to Ben. You were always daddy's little girl. You've said it yourself countless times. We invited you to do stuff regularly. Anytime she invited you to spend time with her, you always turned her down. You were busy with your children or work or friends, and she always understood. If you wanted to spend more time with your mother, all you had to do was call her," Olivia explained compassionately.

She quickly went back to her harsh tone, thinking about the craziness of this conversation. "So you can pretend that she was just some awful, neglectful mother or that I was some conniving bitch who ruined your relationship if you want to. If that's what gets you to sleep at night because you feel guilty that you _could_ _have_ and _should_ _have_ done more for your dying mother, then so be it. If you want to misplace blame and take out your regrets as a daughter on me that's fine, but do not come to my fucking place of business and act a fool."

Neither said a word to each other. They stood their staring each other down for a moment with Abby standing by. "You need to leave," Abby said sternly.

Lisa kept her eyes on Olivia. "This is not over!" Lisa yelled as she hurriedly exited the bakery.

Olivia turned to Abby and threw her hands up. Neither couldn't believe that just happened. Concerned for Lisa's safety, "Can you go make sure she doesn't drive. I'll call a cab," Olivia said to Abby. Abby agreed, and waited outside in silence with Lisa until a cab came to pick her up.

Between the recent conversation she had with her mom, reading the will, and the encounter with Lisa, Olivia was almost at a breaking point. She needed to get away from all the sadness and negativity. Needing some sort of solace, she called Fitz, the one person who could bring her refuge these days.

As soon as she heard his voice, she let out a sigh instead of a greeting. She didn't even have the energy to say hello. It may have been too soon to meet Fitz's family, but she desperately needed to get away with him.

Finally able to speak, "I will go. I want to go away with you," she said with certainty. At that moment, nothing sounded better than flying to Santa Barbara with him, and she was willing and ready to go.

* * *

**AN: So Olivia has a complicated relationship with her parents. They aren't as terrible as Olivia thinks, but it's hard for her to see that right now. Lorraine left her 120,000K, her books, and a letter. Some of you awesome readers saw that coming! We now see what Lisa's issue is with Olivia. Though it has something to do with her protectiveness of Edison, she is super jealous of Lorraine and Olivia's relationship. She thinks she stole her mom from her. More to come on that front in later chapters. Let me know what you thought of the will and fight with Lisa. Thoughts on Fitz's pushback with her parents? Also, they causally discussed babies. Thoughts? ****Next up, Olivia is going to California! **

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! **


	17. Chapter 17

After a five hour flight and an hour and a half drive, Fitz and Olivia arrived in Santa Barbara slightly after 1:00pm. Olivia hated layovers, so she convinced Fitz to fly from Dulles to LAX and rent a car to drive to their hotel in Santa Barbara. As Fitz expected, his siblings and his parents invited them to stay at their homes, but Olivia thought she would feel more comfortable staying in a hotel. Because his parents were divorced, he decided he would stop and visit his father first, check-in at their hotel, and then go visit his mom.

The drive to Santa Barbara was beautiful, but when they arrived at Fitz's father's ranch, Olivia was stunned at the scenery. Decades ago, the ranch was home to cattle, but when his father purchased it, he repurposed it for recreational enjoyment.

She was taken aback as they passed a sizeable secondary residence on their way to the main house. "Staff or sometimes guest stay there," Fitz said casually as they drove by it. They reached the main residence where an 8,000 square feet home stood on 14 acres of lush, green land.

They entered his childhood home, and was greeted immediately by Big Jerry in the foyer. Olivia was quickly put it at ease by the aroma. She could tell by the scent alone that fresh blueberry muffins were baking. She smiled upon seeing his father for the first time.

"How you doing, son?" he asked as he embraced Fitz.

"Good, dad. You?" he responded and pulled away.

"Never better. And you, dear, must be Olivia," Big Jerry said confidently.

"Yes. It's nice to meet you," she replied as she extended her hand, but he pulled her in for a hug.

"I feel like I know you already 'cause we hear about you constantly."

She pulled away from his embrace with a smile. "I've heard so much about you too."

Fitz scanned the area as the three made their way to the living room. "Where's Jon? He said he'd meet us here."

"He's just running a few minutes behind," Jerry responded. "Where are your bags?" he asked the pair.

"In the car, dad. Remember, we're staying at the W."

"Nonsense. We've got five empty bedrooms here."

"I know, but the hotel is close to both you and mom, so I figured…"

"Well your mom's over here more than she is at her place, so it's not like you won't see her," he responded.

Fitz knew this was true. Even though they were divorced, they still maintained the best friendship. His mom came over almost every day to check on his dad. Neither remarried, and they got along better now than they had as spouses.

"I know but…"

Already feeling more comfortable than she thought she would, Olivia cut in. "Why don't we just stay here. Our stuff is in the car, and we're here already. It'll be fun," she offered.

Fitz hesitantly agreed. Since they booked the hotel room, Fitz was looking forward to spending time alone with her with possibility of enjoying massages and room service. They went to the car to gather their belongings. Before he grabbed their suitcases, he sent a couple of emails and put his phone away.

He gathered her in his arms, and asked, "Are you sure you want to stay here?"

"I'm sure. It will be fun," she replied as she stood on her tip toes to give him a chaste kiss. He kept her close to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Okay, but if you change your mind, just let me know and we can…"

"Fitz, it's fine. It's three days."

With that, they broke away from each other and carried their bags inside. They were both looking forward to what their weekend would bring.

* * *

When they entered their bedroom, Fitz's old bedroom, which was converted into one of many guest bedrooms, she gasped at the view. There were huge French doors, leading to a mid-sized balcony overlooking lush trees, rolling grasslands, and mountain cliffs. It was by far one of the most breathtaking sights, she'd seen. Olivia was beyond awed to be staying at such a beautiful estate.

"I can't believe you grew up here. How did you ever leave this place?" she asked in wonderment.

"I didn't realize how beautiful it was until I left. Growing up, it was just what I knew," he explained as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. He moved her hair to the side and kissed her shoulder.

She took in the view and let out a tired yawn. They had such an early start that morning, and she was feeling jet-lagged.

"You tired, Livvie?"

"Just a little. We can grab some coffee on the way to dinner, and I'll be fine," she said as she continued to look at the rose garden and swimming pool to the left of the balcony.

"What do want for dinner?" he asked, but before she could respond, he said, "There's this great Japanese place a few miles away. Apparently, there's a new Mexican restaurant. Jenna's been raving about their queso dip. There are so many places I want to take you."

She was so consumed with the view, she was paying him very little attention.

"Liv, are you listening?"

She didn't respond. Wanting her full attention for a moment, he quickly turned her around, picked her up, and walked to her the bed. She gasped and squealed at the quick movements as he dropped her on the comforter.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a huge smile as he began to tickle her.

"Getting your undivided attention," he responded as he tickled her mercilessly.

"I was…I was listening," she managed to get out through hysterical laughter. She was trying desperately to get out of his grasp, rolling around the bed and kicking to no avail.

"Fiiitz," she shrieked. "Stop it," she cried with ragged breath. He was tickling her so hard, it was becoming painful as her stomach muscles contracted due to laughter.

"You weren't listening," he accused.

"I was listening I promise," she said desperate to get free of his grasp, but he wouldn't let up.

"Were you? What'd I say?"

"Dinner. Japanese place down the road," she said as he moved his fingers down her ribcage.

"Yes, and?"

"Mexican. Some…salsa dip,"

"Wrong," he said and moved his fingers across her skin rapidly. She screamed with laughter.

"Uh! Oh god. Stop," she said again.

"Nope," he replied as he tickled her armpits, refusing to let up.

Unbeknownst to them, Jon had come up the stairs to greet them. He wanted to finalize dinner plans before their outing. The door was ajar, and he watched as Fitz playfully tickled Olivia. He felt a bit awkward, intruding on them, but he couldn't look away. He'd never seen this playful side of Fitz with a significant other. He couldn't deny how sweet they were together.

Jon watched as Olivia screamed, "Queso. Queso dip. I'm going to pee myself. Stop it right now." She tried to sound stern, but her voice was invaded by her incessant laughter.

Fitz finally let up, and she slapped his chest as she tried to sit up. He wouldn't let her, wanting her on her back. Her laughter was so intoxicating. He could listen to it all day. He stared down at her as she tried to regulate her breathing. Her hair was disheveled from the tickle fest. His adoring look made her blush. She threw her hands around his neck.

"No more tickling. Please," she said softly.

He kissed her gently on the lips, and she deepened it and pulled away for an Eskimo kiss. Jon made his presence known with a cough.

"I'm not interrupting am I?" Jon questioned.

Fitz looked back immediately recognizing his brother's voice. Olivia looked past Fitz's shoulder and became slightly shy at their now public affection. She tried to hide her face in Fitz's shoulder.

"No. Not interrupting at all" he said as he moved off of Olivia.

They both sat up and Olivia tried to get herself to together.

"I was just curious about dinner. Kim and I are thinking that Japanese place."

"We were just discussing it. I think Japanese it is."

"Is Jenna going to meet us here or at dinner?" Fitz asked.

"I think the restaurant."

"Great. Can't wait to see her."

"I think she's bringing Rich," Jon mentioned. Richard was her husband. He was an accountant for a brokerage firm, a job that suited his rather bland personality.

"What a party pooper," Fitz responded.

"I know. He's so serious all the time."

"It makes me wonder how someone as bubbly, personable as Jenna ended up with that guy. He's got a stick up his ass 80 percent of the time.

Fitz chuckled. "Opposites attract I guess. But whatever, he makes her happy."

Jon nodded in agreement. Something about Jon and Fitz's exchange made her uncomfortable. She could only hope that Jon and Jenna wouldn't talk about her or think of her in the way that Rich was spoken of. Jon and Fitz's conversation quickly moved from their sister's spouse to work to sports. While they caught up, Olivia unpacked their belongings. After a half-hour of quick chatting, Jon left to pick up his daughter, leaving Fitz and Olivia plenty of time to get ready for dinner. She picked out a light gray, cut-out pencil dress and black heels. She was prepared for dinner with the Grants.

* * *

Sitting at the dinner table with Fitz's siblings and in-laws, Olivia tried to hide her nerves. After quick introductions in the restaurant's waiting area, the group was promptly seated. She sat next to Fitz, adjacent to Jenna and across from Richard. On the other side of Richard, Jon and Kim were seated together.

At the table, she got her first good look at Jenna. She was beautiful and looked almost nothing like Fitz and Jon. She had medium length thick, dark brown hair and striking blue eyes. Olivia knew from conversations with Fitz that she was thirty-eight, and the sole Democrat in the family. Even her husband Richard was a Republican. She worked as a grant writer and fundraiser for a nonprofit organization. She had two daughters, Allison and Elizabeth, who were eight and twelve. Out of all the members of the family, Olivia was the most nervous to meet her. She fiddled with her fingers as Jenna's eyes bore into her.

"So Olivia, again, it's so nice to meet you. It's nice to put a face with a name," Jenna said pleasantly.

"Likewise," Olivia replied. She wasn't trying to be short. She was just unbelievably on edge. She wasn't nervous the whole flight to California, meeting Big Jerry, or the time it took to get ready and drive to dinner. Now facing Fitz's siblings together, her stomach was in knots. She knew how important Fitz's family was to him, and she didn't want to mess things up.

"I have to say. You must be special if you have my brother choking strangers in the street," Jenna said with a laugh.

Olivia didn't respond. She gave a weak smile and looked to Fitz.

Feeling awkward, not knowing how to take Jenna's comment, she said, "Excuse me, I'm going to run to the restroom." She smiled, stood up and left the table.

When she was out of sight and ear distance, Fitz shot a look at Jenna.

"What? I was joking," Jenna said throwing her hands up.

"She feels awful about that," he replied. He pointed to Jon and Kim, "And she thinks you guys hate her for it."

"What? We don't hate her. We barely even know her. That guy was a manic. That wasn't her fault," Kim said.

"Well she thinks it is, so can you lay off about it. And don't grill her. We're adults here. I don't need that."

"Don't tell me what to do, Fitz," Jenna said as she rolled her eyes. "And I'm not going to grill her. I just want to make sure she's decent. And considering your track record for picking manipulative bitches, you should be thanking me," Jenna bantered back.

"Jenna, please," Richard said, unimpressed with her language.

Knowing there was no stopping his outspoken sister from interrogating Olivia, he sighed. "Just don't be rude."

"I'm not rude. When am I _ever_ rude?" she asked. The entire table gave her knowing looks. "I'm not going to be rude, geez." Jenna responded defensively.

Fitz noticed that it was taking Olivia a longer time than usual in the bathroom. He got up to check on her. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Whipped," Jenna yelled as he left. He turned around to see the table, shook his head with a smirk, and went to find Olivia.

He surprisingly noticed her at the bar sitting alone with a cup of sake. "Getting the party started early?" he asked as he sat down beside her.

She gave him a forced smile, but he could tell that she had been crying a little. "Baby, what's the matter?"

"Nothing," she said still holding a forced smile. "I'm fine," she said unconvincingly.

"Liv c'mon. What's wrong?" It's not Jen is it? Honey, she was just kidding."

"I know. It's just..." she started and shook her head. "I'm being silly. I'm fine. Everything's fine. I just needed to take the nerves off," she said as she held up her sake.

"It's obviously not fine. You're clearly upset."

"I'm not upset," she said then sighed. Fitz didn't respond. He sat there waiting for her to tell him what was going on with her.

After a few moments, she finally spoke. "I guess… I just want them to like me," she said exasperatedly. She felt slightly embarrassed because, aside from her parents, she'd never cared about anyone's approval.

"I can't handle having your sister not like me. I mean everything with Lisa is _so_ stressful, and I can't do that all over again. And the fact that there are two siblings in the mix, I don't know if I can…" she started, but couldn't finish. "Like I said, it's stupid."

"Baby, I understand, but you don't have anything to worry about. They like you already. Jenna will like you, and honestly, it doesn't matter if they didn't like you because _I_ _love_ _you_. That's not going to change. And they will like you because I love you. Okay?"

She shook her head in agreement.

"And Livvie, no one in my family is deranged like Lisa. You don't have to put up with anything like that anymore."

She nodded her head again, and the pair sat the bar for a moment.

As Fitz sat with Olivia to ease her nerves, Fitz's family spotted them at the bar. They watched as Fitz talked to her as he held her hand. They saw him kiss her forehead and then whisper in Olivia's ear, causing her to laugh. Like Jon's experience earlier in the day, Jenna had never seen Fitz so tender and loving with someone aside from his children. The expression on his face told Jenna that he adored Olivia. That was all she needed to see to know that Fitz was in the right hands. Wanting Olivia to feel comfortable, Kim suggested they meet them at the bar. As Fitz and Olivia got up from their chairs to leave, they were met by the rest of the Grants.

"Sake bombs for all of us," Jenna yelled at the bartender. They all took seats on bar stools as the bartender made their drinks. Instead of going back to their table, they ordered every appetizer on the menu and ate and drank at the bar. Any anxiousness Olivia felt was fleeting. Fitz's family made her feel more than comfortable as they laughed and drank together.

Everyone excluding, Richard who was the sole nondrinker and designated driver, was several shots in and feeling more uninhibited than normal. When Jon ordered one more shot for his wife, Kim yelled, "I'm not drinking that! I know what you're doing here. You think you can get me one more shot past tipsy and you'll get a blow job tonight. Not happening Grant."

Olivia, Fitz and even Richard couldn't help but laugh while Jenna's face was full of disgust. Nothing was worse than hearing about her brothers' sex lives.

"And you know it's true," Kim continued. "Liv, you get these Grant men drunk enough, or they get you drunk enough, and they think they're entitled to a blow job."

Though it wasn't entirely accurate on Fitz's end, there was a smidgen of truth to Kim's statement, which Olivia couldn't deny.

"It's kinda true," Olivia admitted.

"Oh really?" Fitz, questioned. "Because I think it's the other way around."

Laughing, she leaned over and kissed Fitz soundly on the lips and pulled away quickly. The entire exchange was too much for Jenna.

"Gross. Little sister in the room." She said still holding a look of disgust.

The rest of the night went without a hitch. The four of them got to know Olivia better, and truly enjoyed themselves. Aside from Fitz, uncharacteristically checking his phone throughout the night, Fitz and Olivia were their usual selves, bantering with each other, showing affection and making each other laugh. Their joy was contagious.

* * *

She wasn't sure what stirred her awake, but Olivia lay in the guest bed with her eyes closed. She knew from the lack of contact, that Fitz was no longer in bed. She opened her eyes, and was met by darkness. Wondering the time, she blindly looked for her phone on the nearby nightstand. It was 2:18 am. She lifted slightly to see if Fitz was in the adjacent bathroom, but from the quietness and darkness of the room, she could tell that he wasn't. Now fully awake, she sat up in bed, waiting for Fitz to return. She assumed that he was grabbing something to drink or maybe craved a snack.

Fifteen minutes later, when he still hadn't returned, she quietly made her way through the house. The only sound that could be heard was the creaking of her feet on the hardwood floors and air wafting through the vents. When she made her way to the kitchen, and he was still unseen, she started to get a little worried, wondering where he could possibly be at this hour. His phone was still in the bedroom, so she knew that he wasn't too far.

She turned to exit the kitchen, but when she heard a rustling in the sunroom she moved towards it. Finally, she saw Fitz reading in the warmly lit room. She noticed how beautiful the room was when they first arrived. It was a medium sized room right off the kitchen. Big Jerry mentioned that it had been newly renovated. The room featured twelve large glass panels for walls and a paned glass ceiling. A plush Hunter green couch rested on one wall and a brown wicker loveseat rested on the opposite wall. Two beige armchairs rested on both sides of the couches while a patterned blue and green ottoman sat in the middle. Two lamps sat on end tables, to provide light for nights like this one. The sunroom oversaw the deck, pool, and the estate's surrounding cliffs. It was a gorgeous, tranquil area.

She opened the French doors which lead to the sunroom and smiled when her eyes met Fitz. They both sobered up considerably since their outing.

"Why are you still up?" she asked as she approached him.

"Couldn't sleep. Being here always makes me restless."

She sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Really? I would think it would be the opposite. It's so relaxing and peaceful."

"It is. But I can't help but think about everything that's going on back in D.C."

"Don't tell me you don't know how to enjoy a small break from work?"

He didn't want to admit it, but Fitz, indeed, had a hard time when relaxing when he was thousands of miles away from his job. Fitz could never fully enjoy time away from work. His mind always drifted to clients and everything that needed to be done. He had a great team of people, and he knew he was always in contact with them, but he always unnerved.

"We're going to have a great time," she assured him while rubbing his back. "We've already had a great dinner with your brother and sister. I want you to show me around. I wanna see the places you went as a kid. I want try all the restaurants you loved. And I want you to relax. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy your family," she said and then grabbed his hand and brought it to her mouth to kiss.

"You're right. I'm going to try to relax."

He was so tense, and looking in his eyes she knew that it would be easier said than done. She lifted her head to give him a kiss. She pulled away just as his tongue touched hers.

Wanting him to have good night's rest and to relax fully, "Come to bed," she said softly, looking at him intently.

"Okay. Just a few more emails."

She rolled her eyes. She had never seen him so connected to his cell phone than she had in the past twelve hours.

"No. Come to bed," she urged once more, but her gentle tone turned more serious. She stood and held her hand out.

When he didn't move an inch, she furrowed her eyebrows at him. He grabbed her hand only to pull her to sit sideways on his lap. The abruptness of the movement jostled her and caused the thin silk strap of her camisole to fall off her shoulder, revealing the top of her breast.

"One more email," he said as he kissed her shoulder. She sighed in discontent and tried to move to go back to bed, but he held her in place. With one arm around her and one hand on his phone, he sent a quick email to his assistant, Jennifer, with approvals of logo designs.

"Okay. All done," he said as he showed Olivia his phone. He noticed her partially exposed breast, and he set his phone down and instinctively cupped her breast through the shirt. She let out a whisper soft moan. She loved the way his entire hand covered her breast, and she'd never tire of the way he palmed her breasts roughly. She was lost in the moment of his caress, but when he slipped her other strap past her shoulder and attempted to pull her shirt down completely, she was brought back to the reality of being in his father's home.

"Fitz, no," she said breathlessly as she tried to no avail to stop him from pulling her shirt down.

"Livvie, yes," he retorted as he revealed more of her chest, pushing her straps completely off of her arms and pulling the material until it rested around her waist.

"We're not doing this here," she protested. He ignored her and kissed each of her pointed nipples.

She tried to pull away from him, but he held her firmly in place on his lap and continued to feverishly suck on her breasts.

Panting, she asked, "What if your father wakes up?"

He gave her an annoyed look. He was on a mission, but her protesting was an unwanted distraction.

"He sleeps through everything. He has to have his housekeeper or mom personally wake him in the morning or he'd sleep all day."

"But…I…I think we've scarred enough of your family members."

He smiled. "_But_ _I_ think I would be more relaxed if I got to take you here," he countered, his voice full of charm.

With a smirk on her face, she straddled him and a raised an eyebrow at his response. She shook her head in disagreement, but kissed him softly on the lips. Even though she knew he was partly joking, she would do anything to help him feel less anxious. Without a second thought, she kissed up the column of his neck, leaving suction filled, wet kisses all around it.

He rested his hands on both of her hips and threw his head back when he felt her tongue and lips press against his ear lobe. She whispered, "Relax, Baby," in his ear before sucking on his neck again.

He was wearing a thin white t-shirt and gray sweatpants, and she grazed her hands over his t-shirt clad chest. She broke her lips away from his neck only to free him of his shirt with his assistance. His perfectly defined chest almost had her drooling. She kissed his collar bone, his pectorals, and snaked down to kiss him the middle of his abs. She slid herself down, off of his lap, and rested between his legs with her knees planted on the ground. She tugged at the top of his sweatpants and boxers wanting to see his beautiful penis. He lifted slightly so that she could free him from the confines of his clothing. She pulled his pants and boxers down and removed them completely, leaving him naked with her between his legs.

She gripped his shaft firmly then stroked him gently, drawing out a groan that bounced off the glass walls. He twitched in her hands, and she grew increasingly wet at his arousal.

"Livvie," was the only thing he could articulate as she gently pulled at his length.

She responded by placing sodden kisses up and down his member. She kissed the head and licked it with the tip of her tongue before taking him entirely in her mouth.

He couldn't help but try to have some control over her rhythm as she bobbed her head up and down, so he rested his hands in her hair and threw his head back as she sucked him, taking him deep then releasing him only to the tip before sucking on him fully again.

"Fuck, Liv," he said in a low growl. She knew that he was close to climax when he grabbed her head and attempted to move it to his thrusts. Wanting him to come inside of her, she released him, kissed his head, and stared up at him.

"Get up here, Baby," he demanded wanting her on the couch instead of on her knees. With a coy grin, she stood, ridding of her clothes slowly. As he directed, she sat on his lap again. He grabbed her face and kissed her, attacking her tongue with his.

"Lie down," he said against her lips as he squeezed her ass. She knew from the way he was gripping and rubbing her ass how he wanted her.

She removed herself from his lap, and he moved so she could lay flat on her stomach with her ass slightly raised in the air. He positioned himself on top of her, pressing his body firmly against hers. He wasted no time sliding inside of her, causing her to gasp at the quick contact. He rested on his elbows, careful not to place too much weight on her, and leisurely moved inside of her. His thrusts were gentle, but her cries were rampant.

As much as she was enjoying him on top of her, she wanted to face him. She lifted slightly and wiggled underneath him. He slipped out and lifted so that she could make a move. She simply turned on her back and pulled him by the arms to rest on top of her again. He leaned down to kiss her and then slid back inside of her. She wrapped her legs around him, crossing them to hold him in place. They continued to kiss, massaging each other's tongues, as he pumped inside of her. She met his every thrust, grinding and rocking her hips against his. She moved her arms from clinging around his neck to wrapping around his back, rubbing his muscular form. They moved slowly together, slower than their normal rhythm, completely unhurried as if they weren't in his father's sunroom. He pulled away from her lips and sucked on her neck. She cradled him and whimpered in his ear as he reached to massage her clit.

He slowed his movements as if he was coming to a halt. She was close, but she wasn't there yet. She was still basking in the feeling of him.

"Oh! Fitz, you can't stop. Please. Please don't," she whined.

He picked up the pace and hammered into her as he kissed her. She grabbed his ass and held his cheeks in her hands as she drove into her.

He couldn't form words. His grunts and moans were all he could muster up. He started to jerk without rhythm, his tell that he was close. She clamped around his shaft and thrust forward which sent him to his peak. Continuing to jerk, he came forcefully inside of her.

"Fuck, Liv. You feel so good, Baby," he said in between grunts, still thrusting for her. Her back arched as her stomach tightened, and she came with the same intensity, shaking underneath him and calling his name.

Within a few moments, their breathing evened out and their bodies settled. He adjusted himself slightly on the couch, so that his body weight wouldn't cause her discomfort. She sheepishly covered her face with her hands in disbelief of their actions.

"The things you get me to do," she said to him with a smile. He removed her hands from her face. "The things you do to me," he responded.

They couldn't bring themselves to move away from each other, and she refused to let him pull out of her. They kissed leisurely while he could feel her heartbeat steady, and she could feel him softening inside of her. Finally ready to leave the room, she patted his back softly, and he moved from atop her. He threw her pajamas to her, and they quickly dressed, straightened the couch and left the room.

Hand-in-hand, they walked past the kitchen and up the stairs to go back to the bedroom with her leading the way. In the middle of the hallway, Fitz stopped abruptly, and she faced him. He took a moment just to take her in, soaking in her tousled hair and glowing, fresh face. He smiled at her, marveling at her beauty. Sometimes, he was overwhelmed just looking at her or even thinking about her.

"What?" Olivia asked with a confused look, thinking he left something in the sunroom.

He shook his head, moved closer to her, and then cupped her face gently to plant a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I'm glad you're here," he said when he broke away.

"Me too," she replied with a smile. Her smile was broken by a yawn. "Let's go to bed," She said as she led him to their room.

* * *

**AN: This is the first of two parts of their California trip. There's so much to cover, including meeting his mother, real conversations with his siblings, and finding out more about Fitz. Also, I can't lie, there will probably be more smut during this trip. Thoughts so far? Any predictions or things you'd like to see? Just let me know!**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! **


	18. Chapter 18

Olivia and Fitz woke up at the same time the next morning, but she was too tired to open her eyes. He pulled her closer into their spooning position, and they laid together in silence for a few minutes. When Fitz's phone sounded, alerting him of several emails, he moved his arm from around Olivia's waist to grab it. She checked the alarm clock beside her and then closed her eyes again, attempting to go back to sleep while he answered his messages. After a few minutes, she heard him sighing heavily beside her. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock again. When she realized that he had spent the past fifteen minutes on the phone, she turned around completely to face him.

"Morning," she said sweetly.

"Good morning," he replied in monotone, still distracted by his phone. She could tell by his voice and demeanor that he wasn't in a great mood.

She looked at him, trying to get his attention, but he was still distracted by his emails. "Fitz, what is going on with you and this phone? It's so early," she said. She couldn't hide her annoyance.

"It's work," he replied sharply.

"But it's Saturday."

He looked at her and then went back to his phone. "And I still have work," he replied.

"Yeah, but you never email all weekend."

"And how would you know?" he asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she responded, confused as to where he was going with his remark.

"You know what it means."

She scoffed, growing more aggravated. "Fitz, I honestly have no idea what you're trying to get at."

"Considering that every Friday or Saturday you jet out of my house or push me out of yours, you don't have any idea what my weekend routines are."

"Wow! Have you been holding that back for a while?" she asked with a raised voice. "In case you've forgotten, you have children that live with you on the weekends, so what am I supposed to do?"

"Stay with me. Stay with us."

"Right," she said rolling her eyes. She had no clue where this was coming from. He'd never mentioned her absence on weekends as a problem. Maybe it was a legitimate concern for him, but she knew by his tone of voice that he was only bringing it up and being this short with her because of work frustration he was dealing with via email.

"It's too early for this. We've barely been up for twenty minutes, and this is how you want to start the morning?" she asked, still resting beside him.

He realized that he was being a jerk, but work was stressing him out, and he was taking it out on her. She attempted to get out of bed to shower, but he put his phone away and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back in the bed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he said keeping her in place.

She shook her head at him, rolling her eyes again. She wasn't in the mood to get the brunt of his frustrations. He didn't do it often, and sometimes she could handle it, but in that moment, she wasn't going to tolerate it.

"Stop picking fights. You know I hate it when you do that," she said.

"I know. It's just work is making me a little crazy right now."

"I get that, but I don't understand why. Fitz, you're never worried about work."

He didn't respond. She knew he wasn't telling her everything, but she didn't want to push him if he wasn't ready to talk about it.

"We don't have to talk about it right now, but Baby, I need you to relax. I thought we settled this last night," she said with a smile as she rubbed his bare chest. At some point during the night, he removed his t-shirt, much to Olivia's delight.

He groaned. "We did, but I guess we're going to have to give it another go," he kissed her neck. "I'm still feeling a little stressed." He attempted to be move on top of her, but she pushed him away.

"Uh huh. Sure," she replied. "We have to get up. Your family's meeting us here for breakfast. Remember?"

He didn't respond. Instead, he picked her up and carried her to the adjoining bathroom.

* * *

A shared shower held Fitz and Olivia up from meeting his family downstairs for breakfast in a timely fashion. Olivia knew she would be meeting his mom for the first time, so she wanted to look her best. She kept it simple, wearing a James Perse white t-shirt, dark blue skinny jeans, and flats. She spent a lot of time, crafting her natural make-up look and straitening her hair.

When they entered the kitchen, Fitz's mom, Judith Grant, was seated at the island, Kim was making pancakes, and Jon was making fresh orange juice. Everyone referred to Judith as Judy. She was the ultimate homemaker and political wife, making sure that everyone in the family was well taken care of. She had always been active in her husband's campaigns, even after they divorced. Between the extensive traveling and bicoastal lifestyle, a life in politics took a toll on their marriage, and Jerry and Judith realized that they were better as friends than as spouses. Jerry and Judith divorced when their eldest was seventeen, waiting until they were almost empty-nesters to separate. When Big Jerry retired from politics, he spent most of his time in Santa Barbara, engaging in leisurely actives, and attempting to keep up with the ranch. Judith helped raise her three grandchildren who lived on the west coast. They had never been happier, and loved spending time together at the ranch.

Olivia had seen pictures of the Grant Family, and she expected to see Judy dolled up and finely dressed as her photographs presented her. Instead, Judy wore a Harvard Mom t-shirt, white cashmere sweater Capri pants and pearls. She wore reading glasses, which were attached by a lanyard around her neck. She had blonde hair with streaks of gray, which was cut in a shoulder length bob.

"Mom!" Fitz said excitedly. Since they opted to stay with his father, they didn't get a chance to see her the day prior. They decided to meet each other at Big Jerry's.

"Fitzgerald!" she exclaimed with equal enthusiasm. "Come here, my boy." She pulled him in for a long, tight embrace.

"This is the best birthday present," she said as she rubbed his back.

"I thought you'd like it. I wish I could have brought the kids."

"Me too, but I am so happy to see you just the same."

"And where's Olivia? Where's this woman that everyone can't stop talking about?"

Olivia peeked her head around Fitz's body.

"Hi," she said shyly, extending her hand.

"Oh no. You're getting a hug too," Judy said as she pulled her into her arms. "We're a hugging family, so you might as well get use to it," she said seriously.

Olivia smiled as she pulled away. "I'm Judith, you can call me Judy."

"It's nice to meet you Judy," she replied.

The pair greeted Jon and Kim who looked every bit like they spent the previous night drinking.

"How can we help?" Olivia asked Jon and Kim who steadily preparing breakfast.

"We're actually wrapping up. Just have a seat," Kim replied

"But Fitz, you can set the table," Jon said.

As Fitz set the table, Olivia took a seat beside Judy at the kitchen island. "Did you sleep okay, Olivia?"

"Yes. It was great."

"Good. I talked Jerry into getting those Tempur-Pedics in all the rooms. They sleep so well."

"The mattress was great," Olivia replied.

"And did you have fresh towels?" Judy inquired. "Jerry gave Sue the day off, so I sent Kim and Jon to refresh all the towels in the upstairs bathrooms."

"We just used the towels that were already in the bathroom," Fitz responded.

"Jon, honey, did you give them fresh towels?" Judy asked.

"We did," he replied with a grin, giving Fitz a knowing look. Fitz didn't know how to read Jon's expression, so he kept at the task at hand.

"I just want to make sure you're comfortable," Judy said to Olivia.

"Mom, you would think that you live here," Fitz responded on her behalf.

"Well, someone has to be hospitable. Lord, knows your father would let this stuff go by the way side. And this house is just too much house for a single man your dad's age."

"We've talked about it, and he's never going to sale it," Fitz responded.

"I know, but it's just too much house," she said again. "That man can be so stubborn. It's why we're no longer together" Judy said to Olivia as if no one else could hear her.

"Are you parents still married?" Judy asked.

"Yes. They've been married for thirty-five years this June," Olivia responded.

"Wow! That's says so a lot. Good for them."

"Now, Fitz says you're a baker. You own a bakery?"

"I do."

"How long have you been doing that?"

"We've been open for two years. But I've been baking since college."

"Do you specialize in anything?"

"Not really. Our cupcakes are pretty popular. Wedding cakes bring in a ton of business. But we have a large menu, and it changes pretty regularly. We like to keep it fresh, but the cupcakes are a mainstay."

"Do you make those macaroons? They are just delicious," Judy asked, completely intrigued by Olivia's occupation.

"Yes. We make those. We actually make mini macaroons."

"Oh my goodness. Fitz, you've got a keeper. She can make those macaroon things," she yelled over her shoulder.

He smiled at his mother's comment. "Where's Jen," he asked as he moved to gather more plates for the table.

"On her way. She had to drop Rich off at the airport," Judy replied.

Jon and Kim stayed relatively out of the conversation as they were preparing breakfast. When Jon knew that both Fitz and Olivia were listening, he picked up an orange to inspect and loudly addressed Kim.

"Babe, do you think these _**feel**_ okay? How does this one _**feel**_?" he asked, facetiously.

Quickly picking up on where he was going, Kim grabbed the orange from his hand, gave it a quick squeeze, handed them back and responded.

"Good. _It_ _feels_ _Sooo_ _good_," she said exaggeratedly.

Jon sliced and pulped the orange and asked, "Am I doing this right?"

"_Deeper_. Jon you have to go _deeper_," Kim's breathy tone was not lost on Olivia or Fitz. They stared at each other and smiled picking up on Jon and Kim mocking them in the shower.

Judy had no idea what was happening. "Jon are you really having that hard of a time making juice, honey?" she asked as she got up to help him. He moved away from the orange juice while his mom turned her back to finish it for him.

"Oh no. I guess it could be harder. Oh sooo much _harder_," he responded, mimicking Olivia's voice.

"Fuck you," Fitz mouthed, jokingly to his brother and moved to the island to reach Olivia.

Olivia buried her head in his chest in embarrassment as he pulled her close to him. When she lifted her head, Kim winked at her.

Bursting through the kitchen, Jenna's arrival finally stopped the teasing. "Sorry I'm late. Is breakfast ready? I. am. Starving," Jenna said throwing her purse on the counter.

"Well hello to you to sweetheart," Judy responded. Jenna made her way to her mother, kissed her cheek and was the first to sit at the kitchen table.

"What do we have here?" Jenna asked, as Jon, Fitz and Kim brought food to the table. Olivia joined Judy and Jen at the table.

"Let's see. Eggs, toast, bacon, fruit, fresh OJ, there's low-fat yogurt if you want it. Oh and Blueberry pancakes," Kim listed off.

"Mmmhm, looks and smells amazing," Jenna responded.

"Dig in," Jon replied right at the same time that Big Jerry joined them in the kitchen. The family ate breakfast together for the first time in at least two years. Fitz couldn't help but feel nostalgic, surrounded by both his parents and siblings. He was also at ease having Olivia by his side. He looked at his phone once, but decided against checking it, wanting to enjoy the moments he was having with his family.

* * *

After breakfast, Judy left to garden at her home while Jerry, Jon and Fitz decided on a round of golf. Jenna, Olivia and Kim opted to stay at the ranch and enjoy the beautiful Saturday. They cleaned up the kitchen and found themselves seated in the sunroom with mimosas.

Olivia couldn't help, but blush thinking about the previous night's encounters. She sat down on the couch were she and Fitz made love while Kim and Jenna sat opposite her in the wicker loveseat.

"So someone had a good morning," Kim said to Olivia. Jenna was completely oblivious to what Kim was referring to.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry, Kim. I didn't think we were that loud," Olivia still mortified that his sister-in-law heard them.

"You weren't that loud. Jon was helping me carry laundry upstairs. We were supposed to be handing you fresh towels. We knocked on the door, but we didn't hear the shower running. We didn't think you were in the room, so we were going to just drop the towels off on the bed. But lo and behold when we entered, you two were well…you know" she said before clearing her throat. "You two were quite busy."

"Oh god. You heard them? Better you then me," Jenna said making a retching sound before smiling at Olivia.

"I bet you two were _busy_ last night as well," Kim said.

Olivia smiled, but was completely silent.

"Okay. Okay. I've heard enough of this," Jenna said, waving her hands in the air, wanting to stop the conversation.

"Oh! New love. I miss that. When you're fucking every day, and you're utterly obsessed with each other," Kim said ignoring Jenna's comments.

Olivia had never thought about their relationships in those terms, but she knew Kim had a point. When she and Edison were first tighter, they were so smitten with each other. Though they didn't have sex as often as she did with Fitz, it still occurred regularly. Hearing Kim characterize their relationship in that way made her nervous for the day that their love wasn't "new," and they weren't as infatuated with each other.

Jenna was less interested in their romance, and more interested in Olivia's marriage. Even though she told Fitz that she wouldn't grill her, she just needed to know that Olivia wasn't using her brother. She knew from their time in the bar, that Fitz was head over heels in love with Olivia. It seemed like Olivia felt the same way, but she wanted to know for sure.

"So how long were you married?" Jenna jumped in and asked.

"Seven years," Olivia responded.

"What happened?" Kim questioned.

"What didn't happen is the real question," Olivia responded with a chuckle.

She went into detail and told them everything that occurred during her marriage with Edison, including the first time he cheated, his daughter, the hedge fund, all of it.

"Wow!" Kim said stunned by everything that Olivia shared. "I can't believe you're not a complete crazy person right now."

"Honestly, if it wasn't for Fitz, I probably would be an emotional wreck." She hated the way that statement came across. She didn't want them to think that she was just using him. "He's been a great ear, and talking to him has been really helpful."

"I don't want to be too forward here, and I know it's none of my business, but don't you worry that it's too soon to be in another relationship? I mean are you even divorced yet?" Jenna shared Jon's same sentiments, and the two had talked about Fitz's relationship with Olivia in great depth.

"No. I'm not divorced yet, but we're getting closer to it being finalized. And you know as that date approaches, the more I realize how crazy it is that I've met someone else," she started then paused.

"Honestly, seven months ago if you told me that I would be in the middle of a divorce and in love with another man, I would have thought you were lying. Falling in love right now has been the most inconvenient thing in my life. We didn't plan it. I didn't want it, but it happened. I think all the time, _maybe I should be single right now. Maybe I need time to figure everything out by myself. Am I moving too fast_?"

She took a breath, and continued. "But the reality is Fitz makes me so happy, and I love him. And maybe all those things that I'm thinking are true, but I love him. And it's so scary to love him, especially right now. But it's a chance I'm willing to take. And yes, maybe it won't work out, but we're both so willing to try because it feels like nothing we've experienced before."

Her candor and honesty was surprising for both Jenna and Kim. It felt good to express all of her unspoken anxiety. Aside from Fitz, Olivia was never this open with her feelings. Jenna felt even more at ease by the idea of Fitz and Olivia's relationship hearing how strongly Olivia felt for him. She appreciated that Olivia admitted the doubts she had.

"You seem honest," Kim responded nodding her head. "Fitz needs that. He needs someone honest."

Kim continued, "And you don't seem selfish, and the same could not be said of Mellie. I swear, she only paid mind to half those vows, and through sick…"

"Kim!" Jenna scolded, shaking her head. Jenna knew where Kim was headed with the conversation, and she also knew that there were some things Fitz was almost unwilling to talk about. She wasn't sure how much he shared with Olivia about the divorce.

"What?" Kim questioned, not picking up on Jenna's hesitance to share family information with Olivia. "It's the truth. She completely ignored through sickness and in health portion of the vows.

"Maybe Fitz wants to share that in his own time," Jenna responded.

"Share what?" Olivia asked.

"Well now we have to tell her," Kim said. "Has he ever told you why he and Mellie divorced?"

"No not really."

"Fitz has always been very private about his relationships, and he's never really talked to any of us, aside from Jon, about the divorce. But one of the big reasons was his accident."

Olivia's heart raced. He had never mentioned or alluded to anything of the sort. "What accident?"

Jenna chimed in. "Fitz was in a near fatal car accident two years before Teddy was born. A drunk driver crossed into his lane and hit him head on."

"Oh my god," Olivia said, covering her mouth.

"It was as bad as you could imagine. He was in the hospital for a month, and did intense physical therapy for three months. They didn't think he would walk again. But with a lot of great doctors, and therapists he made a full recovery."

"It was so fucking stressful," Jenna added. "Luckily Big Jerry was still active on the Hill, and Jon was in last term as Senator, so he spent a lot of time in D.C. Mom and I flew in every other weekend."

"But Mellie was MIA," Kim explained. "I think maybe it was just too much for her to take or maybe she was just stressed out, but she just shut down. We could barely get her to make any decisions. She claimed that the kids needed her, and while that was true, she was completely useless for Fitz."

Jenna poured another mimosa and said, "She just avoided the situation. When he came back home from the hospital and needed at home care, she hired a nurse for him and a nanny for the kids. She worked probably 60 to 70 hours a week, just avoiding the situation. She claimed that she was headed on the partner track, and needed to put in the time. In reality, she just couldn't handle the stress of taking care of her sick husband. She resented him and all the care he required, even though it was just short term care. She did make partner, so I guess it was worth it for her, but she lost her marriage in the process."

"Fitz has never mentioned being in an accident. I mean, I didn't know he went through all of that," Olivia stated in complete shock. She couldn't understand why he would keep something that life altering away from her. Aside from faded scars on his right leg, he showed no sign of major trauma. He was the vision of the health. She was stunned at the news.

"Like, I said, he doesn't like to talk about it. And I mean, I know that wasn't the only reason for the divorce, but it was so fucked up we all assumed that it was a major part of it," Jenna replied.

By the time, Jenna filled Olivia in on Fitz's accident, the guys returned from their golf outing and met the ladies in the sunroom.

"There they are!" Jon called out to the ladies.

Fitz sat down beside Olivia, taking a sip of her mimosa. Jon caught up with his wife while Fitz spoke with Olivia. Jenna paired off to catch up with her father.

"Did you have a good round?" Olivia asked as she straightened the collar of his shirt.

"It was great. Dad and Jon are the best play with. They're a hoot." She smiled, loving that he was enjoying his family. He grinned back at her. "So there's a place that I want to take you."

"Okay. Where?" she replied.

"It's a surprise. I will tell you that you need a swim suit and a change of clothes."

"Okay." she said suspiciously.

Fitz turned to his father, interrupting his conversation with Jenna. "Dad, we're going to get out of here and do that thing that we discussed. We'll be back tonight."

"Okay, son. The keys are hanging in the laundry room," Jerry replied.

With that, Fitz changed quickly and Olivia packed up a few things for their surprise outing. She honestly had no clue where they were headed, but she was excited nonetheless.

* * *

Fitz borrowed Jerry's vintage, convertible Porche to take Olivia out in. They drove to their destination with the top down and holding hands. She'd periodically lean over and rest her head on his shoulder as he drove. He'd bring their intertwined fingers to his lips and kiss her hand. When they arrived at their destination, a twenty-five minute drive from the ranch, Olivia was surprised to see the beach. Fitz pulled into the driveway of a home with both ocean and mountain views. It was a short walk from the beach, but you could hear and see the waves crashing on the cliffs.

Completely shocked by their location, Olivia asked, "Whose house is this?"

"My family's," he replied nonchalantly. "It's our beach home."

"What are we doing here?" she asked, still surprised that he brought her to the beach.

"I figured we could spend the day here. I know we're supposed to be spending time with my family, but I wanted to spend the day here and then go back for mom's birthday dinner."

She grinned widely at him, loving the idea of spending the afternoon at the beach. He bent down to peck her lips and said, "It's one of my favorite places."

"I can see why," she replied as they made their way inside. "It's just as beautiful as the ranch," she said equally awed by this home. Though it wasn't as big as the ranch, it was certainly just as grand. He gave her a quick tour of the four bedroom, three and a half bathroom home. They wandered to the backyard so that she could see the landscape.

"Wow!" she said as she took in the ocean view. Just to the left of her was a patio area with couches and lounge chairs surrounding an in-ground pool. She didn't want to go inside when they were surrounded by such beautiful views, so they settled outside. They sat beside each other on the couch, lounging as they watched the sunset. The sound of waves crashing on the cliffs almost lulled Olivia to sleep.

"God, I love that sound," she said quietly with her head resting on his shoulder.

"What sound?" he asked.

"The waves, the ocean. There's nothing more relaxing. It's the best sound."

"The best sound, huh?" Out of curiosity, he asked, "What's your favorite sound?"

"I've never thought about it before," she said as she paused to think about it. "Beach waves might have to be my favorite, but I guess I like the sound of my fireplace. The wood crackling." She pondered the question further, thinking of more pleasant noises. "Oh! And thunderstorms, I love the sound of thunderstorms."

She turned to face him, pulling her knees to her chest. "What about you? What's your favorite sound?" It didn't take him long to think about before a familiar grin formed on his face.

"Don't be pervvy," she said jokingly.

"I'm not…though I can't lie, your little whimpers and moans have got to be the sexist noises I've ever heard," he replied, seriously. She shook her head and covered her face in slight embarrassment.

"But I have to say hearing my children's laughter might be the best, especially when they're laughing together. Gosh, Teddy has the most joyful laugh. When he gets tickled about something, it is just contagious," he said, beaming.

Olivia couldn't help, but smile at his answer. "What's your favorite…" she started, looking up, thinking of a question. "What's your favorite smell?" she asked.

"That's tough," he said as he mulled it over. "I don't know if it's my favorite but I love the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I love the way your bakery smells. I love the way you smell when you've been at the bakery all day."

"Really?" she asked surprised by his response. "I hate it. I feel like I smell like…yeast," she replied.

"No. You smell incredible. Probably the only person who smells edible after a long day's work."

She shook her head. "What's your favorite smell?" he asked her.

"I would say…Gosh there are too many, but I would say honeysuckle."

"Honeysuckle?" he questioned with surprise. He knew that she typically didn't gravitate towards honeysuckle scents when it came to her fragrances.

"Yes. It always reminds me of summer. My grandparents lived in small town in South Carolina, and they had honeysuckle in their backyard. Every time, I smell it, it reminds me of them. It makes me smile."

They spent the next twenty minutes talking about all of their favorite things, often surprised by each other's responses. Olivia moved to rest her head on his chest and took in the ocean view. Her mind kept wondering to Mellie and Fitz's divorce. She had to ask him about it.

"Fitz, why didn't you tell me about your accident?"

He tensed up at her mentioning it. He knew immediately that Jenna and Kim informed her about it and was annoyed at their interference. He shrugged. "It just not a topic I want to relive. And it never came up."

Olivia couldn't understand how it never came up, especially since they talked for hours on hours about any and everything. "But we know so much about each other. It kinda feels like your hiding something from me."

"I'm not hiding anything. It never came up," he said defensively.

"But it's come up now," she replied, sitting up to face him.

"What do you want to know?" he asked with aggravation evident in his tone.

"Everything," she said as she grabbed his hand. "I wanna know how it happened. How did you recover so quickly? Does it still affect you? How did it impact your business? Why don't you ever talk about it?" she inquired at a rapid pace. They were both overwhelmed by her curiosity. Before he could manage to come up with one answer, she asked meekly, "Was it the reason for your divorce?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't want to have this conversation, but he knew it was inevitable. "It played a big part. It caused a lot of resentment between Mellie and I. She resented the fact that she had to take care of me, and I resented her for putting work before family. There was also a lot of guilt. There were moments when she felt guilty for abandoning me when I needed her most, and I definitely made her feel more awful than I should. I could have been more understanding of her work ambitions. There were a lot of things that contributed to the end of my marriage, but the accident wasn't the sole reason."

He continued, "And I don't talk about it, not because I'm hiding it; it was just an awful time in my life. I felt so weak and dependent. I couldn't do anything, and I was depressed for much of it. It's not a time I like to think about."

She could tell that he was uncomfortable talking about it. She gave his hand a squeeze, and he continued, "But physically, it doesn't really affect me too much. The doctor's called my recovery 'miraculous.' There are times when running is tough. You know it's not my favorite thing to do, and that's in part because sometimes it hurts, but I'm always able to push through it."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was so awed that he could get through something so traumatic. "I know you feel like it was a weak time in your life, but Fitz, your recovery is a testament to your strength. You should be proud of overcoming something that horrific," she finally responded.

He pushed the accident out of his mind so much that he'd never given a perspective like Olivia's much consideration. They sat in silence for a moment, both thinking of Fitz's accident.

"I would have taken care of you. I would have been right by your side every step of the way," she said. He knew she was being genuine, and he appreciated her support. He kissed her forehead in response.

From his quietness, she knew the conversation was getting too heavy for him. In an effort to lighten the mood and switch gears, she decided on swimming. Fitz didn't seem too keen on the idea, preferring the ocean to the pool. She'd always loved swimming, and their private patio on looking at the beginnings of a beautiful sunset presented the perfect opportunity. She got up to go inside and change into her navy blue twist bandeau bikini. Fitz's mouth literally dropped when she came back out, bikini clad with a towel. She used her fingers to pull her pressed hair into a high messy bun.

"Damn," he murmured to himself.

"What?" she asked, not hearing him fully.

"Nothing."

She dipped her toe in to feel the temperature before sitting at the edge of the pool, staring at the ocean. Fitz watched her the entire time, not able to take his eyes away from her. There were many moments when he was completely taken aback by her beauty, and this was one of those times. He stripped from his clothes, standing in just his boxers.

"I thought you didn't want to swim?" she asked, getting in the pool fully.

"I didn't, but now I do."

"Get in," she demanded.

He obliged, and obnoxiously cannon balled into the pool.

"Fitz!" she yelled with a smile.

He tried to swim to her but she swam away from him. He chased her around the pool until they were both exhausted. Like grade school children, they played in the water, splashing each other, racing each other and simply swimming until their skin pruned. When she finally allowed him to pull her to him, he pulled them to the steps of pool, and she straddled him in the water, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"I knew you liked to swim, but I didn't realize you were that good," he complimented.

"I told you I was on the swim team," she responded.

"You're like a fish in here."

She smiled and kissed him on the lips. She pulled away and asked, "How private is this patio?"

"Very," he replied.

"Yeah?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "Private enough to do this?" she asked as she floated away from his lap for a moment to remove her bottoms. She moved back on his lap, and he cupped her bare ass under the water.

"Definitely private enough for that," he replied.

"I suppose it's private enough for this too?" she asked as she pulled her bandeau off.

He could only nod his head and groan looking at her unconfined breasts.

He continued to massage her ass as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You make me so wet," she said in a cheeky tone. They both smiled at the irony of her statement. Her smile faded as she became more aroused under his caress. "But I'm serious," she said, short of breath, against his neck as she kissed it.

"Is that so? Are you wet for me right now," he asked as he reached to stroke her.

"Always for you," she whispered with her lips pressed against his neck.

She wanted to him so badly. She grinded on his boxer covered, fully erect penis. He gently pulled her away from his neck, so that his mouth could find its place on her chest. He sucked and licked her nipples, while she continuously grinded on his lap. She felt like she could climax even with a barrier between them as she rode him.

She pushed him away from her chest so that she could remove his boxers. Together, they pushed them down past his legs. She pulled them down, and they floated in the water.

He reclined on the steps while she straddled him, her folded legs resting on the steps. She eased onto his member and shuddered and gasped at the contact of his erection inside of her. Hating the space between them, she moved closer to him and slowly rocked back and forth on his member. Holding him by the sides of his neck, she allowed their tongues to meet before their lips. Swapping wet kisses as she moved against him, she knew she was going to come undone in mere minutes. He reached to rub her clit with his index and pointer fingers. She disconnected their lips and threw her head back, still rocking on his cock.

"Fuck! There. Right. Right. There," she cried out. She rested her head on his shoulder as he thrust and began working her clit with his knuckle.

She whimpered and moaned in his ear, and he responded in grunts and groans. She could feel her orgasm quickly approaching. She rested her palms flat on his chest, throwing her head back again.

"I'm coming. You're making me come," she said in trembles.

He grabbed her by the neck, pulled her face close to his, and sucked on her lips as she came on his member. His mouth muffled her screams as she unraveled in his lap. She pulled away from his lips to regulate her breathing only to have him hold her tightly in his arms and stand up on the step, sliding out of her in the process.

"Fitz," she yelled at the sudden movement, wrapping her legs around his body. Haphazardly, he turned around to step out of the pool.

Her brain was barely firing on all cylinders. "Where…where are we going?" she asked as they passed the patio furniture, making their way inside of the home. "You didn't come. I want you to come," she said breathlessly against his ear, feeling his erection on her skin as he carried her. He wanted her comfortable on all fours, but he couldn't make it that far with her talking in his ear. He got closer to the sliding glass door that lead inside the home and stood in front of it.

"Let go," he said as he unwrapped one of her legs from around his waist and set her on her feet. She released her grip of him, and he pushed her up against the glass door, grabbing her hands and placed him up on the glass as he kissed her forcefully. He pulled away from her mouth only to turn her around so that her chest and the side of her face were pressed against the glass as he slid back inside of her.

He pulled her hands behind her back and pumped rapidly into her. His movements felt even better than on the steps, and Olivia was about to lose it again from his roughness alone.

"Fitz, baby, go harder. Please go harder," she begged. He slapped her ass instead, and she instinctively clinched around him.

"Oh!" she yelped in surprise at his gesture. She had never been spanked before, and the sensation aroused her in ways that she didn't know where possible.

"More," she whined as she looked back at him. Fitz wasted no time upon listening to her request. He rubbed her ass, smacked it and then thrust forward.

She whimpered against the glass, the condensation of her exhale visible on the surface.

He kissed the side of her neck, continuing to move inside of her with every thrust faster and more forceful than the last. He released her hands from behind her back, and she rested them on the glass, banging on it as he went deeper inside of her.

"Damn it, Livvie," he cursed at their contact. There was nothing more euphoric for him than being connected with her.

"You take it just the way you're supposed to," he said as she smacked her ass a final time. That's it, That's it," he encouraged as she clinched around him.

He was thrashing into her with so much force, her feet lifted slightly off the ground with his every thrust.

"BABY!" she yelled with watery eyes, nearly crying at the feeling of him. With a few more thrusts, she was nearly crumbling to the ground.

"FITZ! FITZ! OH GOD," she screamed as she banged on the glass, coming on his dick for a second time. He held her firmly around the waist, as he came mere seconds later. "Fuck, Liv, Fuck," he said repeatedly as his warm liquid seeped inside of her. He pushed her further into the sliding glass door, as they both settled from their union.

They had never had such rough sex before, and it was thrilling for both of them. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her in for a tight embrace and kissed her slowly.

Barely pulling away from him, "That was different," she said with a smile.

"Was I too…" he began to ask as he gently rubbed her ass cheeks, attempting to soothe them.

"No," she said, cutting him off. "I think I like it rough," she said confidently of her new discovery.

"I think I like it any way I can have you," he replied.

"Lucky for you, you can have me any way, anytime you want," she said in a flirty tone. As the words left her mouth, she couldn't believe the things she was willing to try and do sexually with him. She couldn't believe how comfortable she was with him and how pleasurable sex was each time they were together. That was never the case with Edison, especially after his affair.

"I am lucky. So lucky to have you," he said as she scooped her up in his arms in a bridal carry before kissing her lips. "Let's shower," he said, as he walked them inside to get ready for his mother's dinner.

* * *

The day's events, including Judy's birthday dinner, left both Fitz and Olivia exhausted. It was a quaint dinner with Judy's closest friends and family. Olivia had a great time getting to know Fitz's family, and was so impressed by their tight knit nature. The family settled back into his father's home for cake and ice cream, and Olivia already felt like a part of the family. Once everyone left, Fitz and Olivia changed into pajamas and settled into bed together.

After losing a game of rock-paper-scissors, Olivia was forced to go downstairs to the kitchen to retrieve bottles of water. She rounded the corner to enter the kitchen and heard whispers as she approached. She entered the kitchen and was completely shocked to see Jerry and Judy kissing in the adjoining living room. They sat close to each to each other and exchanged sweet little pecks back and forth while whispering to each other. She couldn't make out their conversation, but she gasped, knowing she'd seen something she wasn't supposed to. She quickly exited the kitchen and ran up the stairs, almost tripping the process. She reentered the bedroom short of breath.

"Did you forget the water?" Fitz asked when she returned empty handed with a smile.

Seeing Fitz's parents together made her lose her train of thought, and she completely forgot why she went to the kitchen in the first place. "Uh yeah," she said nervously. "I just um…thought maybe tap water would be better," she stumbled out.

He looked at her funny. "Okay. From the bathroom?" he asked, completely confused by her line of thinking. "Did you grab cups at least?"

"No. I didn't think we needed them. We can just use our hands like this," she said as she cupped her hands, demonstrating how to use them as a cup for liquid. Before he could protest or question her, she continued, "But you know what? I'm not even thirsty anymore." She had no idea why she was lying, but she didn't know how he would take the news.

"Why are you acting so weird?" he asked as he got out of bed to get the bottles of water they both wanted.

"I'm not acting weird," she said as she moved to block the door. She knew she had to come right out with it. "Fitz, are your parents…um… they're divorced right?"

"Yeah," he answered suspiciously. "You know that."

"Yes. It's just…I think…I think I just saw them…kissing," she stated in a whisper.

"WHAT?" he yelled.

"Shh. Keep your voice down," she said as she approached him.

"Mom is still here? You saw them kissing?" he questioned in a whisper.

"I _think_ I saw them kissing."

"Either you did or you didn't," he said growing a little annoyed.

"Fitz, it was really quick. I saw them and then I came back up here. It seemed like they were kissing."

"What did it look like?"

"What do you mean 'what did it look like?' It looked like kissing."

"Show me. Show me what you saw."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. She moved closer to him and held the back of his neck. "It was like this," she said before pecking his lips twice. Realizing how silly this was becoming, she smiled against his lips before giving him a real kiss, which he couldn't resist accepting. He pulled away after a few seconds of her lips lingering on his and paced in front of her.

"Liv, she could have been getting something off of his face," he justified, trying to make sense of it all.

"With her _lips_?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "I mean I guess she could have been, but that's not what it looked like. You could go see for yourself. I'm sure they're still…you know."

His heart beat fast, nervous about what might await him, but he had to see it for himself. They left the room together, and he slowly moved down the stairs with Olivia close on his trails. He peeked his head around the kitchen, and saw exactly what Olivia had just seen, except this time his parents sweet kisses turned into a full blown make-out session.

"OH MY GOD," he mouthed to her as he motioned for her to go back up stairs.

They both moved quickly and quietly up the stairs to his room.

"I told you!" she said when he shut the door.

"What the hell?" he asked, utterly confused by the situation.

She hopped back in bed and sat on top of the covers while he paced the room.

"Liv, they have been divorced since I was in my twenties. I can't believe this."

"Maybe their feelings changed or maybe they didn't change at all."

Barely listening to what she said, he blurted out, "That was…gross."

She raised her eyebrow at him. "Now I know how Karen feels," he said sympathetically.

"Except you didn't see your father's bare ass," she replied.

He stopped pacing and replied, "That was your fault, by the way."

"My fault?" she said with a chuckle. She thought about that night more times than she would like to admit. "If I recall correctly, you pulled me on the desk, and you kissed me."

"You took my pants off," he retorted quickly.

"You took my panties off!" she replied just as fast.

"We're losing focus here," he said as began to pace again. "My parents are back together?" he questioned with the most confused look on his face. "Jon and Jenna are going to flip," he said as he rubbed his temples, trying to process it all.

He let out a long sigh and stared at Olivia, looking to her for some clarity.

She gestured for him to come closer to him, and he sat down beside her on the edge of the bed.

With his voice full of exhaustion, he questioned, "What the hell, Livvie?"

She moved to sit sideways on his lap and rubbed his back, trying to ease his nerves. "I know, but…it's a good thing right? It seems like this would be a good thing."

"I guess. It's just fucking weird." He ran his hand in his hair in frustration. "How long has this been going on? Why didn't they tell us?" he wondered aloud.

Olivia didn't know how to respond. "Maybe you should talk to them."

He shook his head in agreement. "I'm going to have to. I can't ignore it."

He squeezed her thighs and said," This has been an interesting trip."

"It has. And we still have tomorrow," she replied with a smile.

* * *

**AN: Lots of stuff going on here. Olivia met Fitz's mom, found out about Fitz's divorce/accident, and they had sexy time at his beach house. I will probably flashback to the family dinner in a forthcoming chapter. Next chapter, we will see how the family reacts to his parents being together, we will find out what's up with Fitz's phone/work situation. Let me know what you thought! **


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